HVAC&R firms urge Trump to refer Kigali Amendment to Senate

In a letter on May 18 to President Donald Trump – and copied to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo – 32 top executives of HVAC&R companies urged that he submit the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to the U.S. Senate for ratification.

The Kigali Amendment, which calls for a global phase-down of HFCs, has so far been ratified by 35 of 197 signatory nations, and will go into effect for ratified nations on January 1, 2019.

The companies represented in the letter include Hillphoenix, Danfoss North America, Emerson, Johnson Controls, Lennox International and Structural Concepts.

“We believe this action will help secure a position of strength for American companies in a highly competitive global market for next generation air conditioning, refrigeration, thermal insulation, aerosols, medical uses, fire suppression, semiconductors and other technologies that utilize fluorocarbons,” said the letter, signed by member manufacturers of the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy and Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).

“With Senate ratification,” it continued, “comes American technological leadership, and a head-start for American industryin the global race to provide the world with state-of-the-art products.”

The letter pointed out the original Montreal Protocol was ratified unanimously in 1987 during the Reagan Administration.

It also noted studies showing that ratification of the Kigali amendment will increase U.S. manufacturing jobs by 33,000,increase exports by $5 billion,and improve the overall balance of trade for these products. It said 589,000 Americans are currently employed in HVAC&R industries.

“On the other hand,”  the letter added, “failure to ratify the Kigali Amendment could transfer thecurrent competitive advantage from America to other countries, like China.”

Other companies represented in the letter include Fujitsu General America, Modine Manufacturing, Beckett Gas, Desert Aire, Goodman Global Group, Trolex Corp., RenewAire, Morrison Products, Marvair and ICE Divisions of Airxcel, Rheem Manufacturing, Ingersoll Rand, A-Gas, Arkema, Daikin Applied Americas, SMARDT Chillers, Daikin America, Chemours, Nortek Global, Sanhua, Dynatemp International, UTC Climate, Falcon Safety Products, National Refrigerants, Dow Chemical, Honeywell and Hudson Technologies.