N.Y. and NASRC to co-host workshop on upcoming HFC regulations

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which will be issuing regulations to phase out the use of HFCs in the state, will co-host a free workshop on September 27 to help supermarket industry stakeholders prepare for the regulations.

The event will also be hosted by the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a nonprofit focused on promoting the use of natural refrigerants in supermarkets.

The upcoming workshop will also offer stakeholders an opportunity to engage in, and provide input for, the state’s regulatory process, according to the NASRC. 

Attendees will gain an overview of current low-GWP alternatives to HFCs, recent technology innovations, strategies for energy optimization, and opportunities for financial incentives, said NASRC. The event also aims to be a platform for stakeholders to discuss challenges associated with natural refrigerants and identify actionable solutions.

“Our goal is to engage stakeholders early in the regulatory process and bring all parties to the table,” said Danielle Wright, executive director of NASRC, in a statement. “The sooner we can identify challenges, the sooner we can begin to work on solutions that will ultimately bring divergent goals into alignment.”

In September 2018, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo directed DEC to issue regulations phasing out the use of HFCs in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of federal HFC rules under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP).

DEC followed by saying it had developed a “pre-proposal outline of draft regulation to adopt the 2015 and 2016 US EPA prohibitions on the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).”  DEC added that it would be seeking input on this proposal prior to proceeding with a formal rulemaking, with the intent of finalizing a rule in 2019.

N.Y. is not the only U.S. state to respond to the EPA’s rollback of the SNAP Program and other environmental protections . It is one of 24 states, plus Puerto Rico, that have all joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition dedicated to reducing GHG emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

In June, the N.Y. legislature separately passed the Climate Leadership And Community Protection Act, which targets carbon-free electricity by 2040 and economy-wide net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“Given [N.Y.] state’s ambitious climate targets, we’re thinking big picture about what the [HFC] regulations will look like in the future and what role energy efficiency will play,” said Wright.

“Reducing emissions from refrigerant leaks and increasing energy efficiency is a win-win, but it’s going to take a collective effort and dialogue between all stakeholders to get there,” she added.

The workshop will take place at DEC’s public assembly room on 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233, from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The event is sponsored by CoolSyS, Danfoss and Dorin.

Find more information and register here.