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Environmental Protection Agency

Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020

Published May 26, 2026. Takes effect July 27, 2026, printed at 91 FR 31284, amending 40 CFR 84. 52,233 words.

In plain English

Some cooling gases are being phased down. This changes the rules for that.

Read it at the Federal Register →

What the Rule Says It Does

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing changes to regulations promulgated under the Technology Transitions provision of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act), which authorizes the Administrator to restrict fully, partially, or on a graduated schedule, the use of a "regulated substance" in the sector or subsector in which they are used. This final rule addresses administrative petitions and input received from regulated industry and other interested parties relevant to requirements and restrictions across various refrigeration and air conditioning subsectors, including: refrigerated transport--intermodal containers; industrial process refrigeration and chillers for industrial process refrigeration used in semiconductor manufacturing; retail food supermarket systems; retail food remote condensing unit systems; cold storage warehouses; refrigerated laboratory centrifuges and laboratory shakers; and condensing units in residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps. This final rule also allows the inventory of residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump equipment that was manufactured in the United States or imported into the United States before January 1, 2025, to continue to be installed.

This is the rule's own summary, as the Federal Register prints it.

The Order It Names

The rule names this order itself. What it does about it is a reading, and none is recorded here.

On the Face of the Rule

As filed

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 26, 2026)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 31284-31330] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-10387]

Vol. 91

Tuesday,

No. 100

May 26, 2026

Part IV

Environmental Protection Agency

40 CFR Part 84

Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020; Final Rules

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 84

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0005; FRL-12166-02-OAR] RIN 2060-AW39

Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020

AGENCY

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION

Final rule.

DATES

This final rule is effective on July 27, 2026.

ADDRESSES

The EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0005. All documents in the docket are listed on the https://www.regulations.gov website. Although listed, some information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The EPA does not place certain other material, such as copyrighted material, on the internet; this material is publicly available only as Portable Document Format versions and accessible only on the EPA computers in the docket office reading room. The public cannot download certain databases and physical items from the docket but may request these items by contacting the docket office by telephone at (202) 566-1744. The docket office has 10 business days to respond to such requests. Except for these items, publicly available docket materials are available electronically at https://www.regulations.gov or on the EPA computers in the docket office reading room at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West Building, Room Number 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

For further information about this final rule, contact Joshua Silver, Chemicals, Coatings, and Products Division, Office of Clean Air Programs (Mail Code 6205A), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2473; email address: [email protected]. You may also visit the EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction for further information.

The fields the Federal Register prints at the head of the rule, quoted as printed. Its summary is quoted above.

Why the Agency Says It Is Doing This

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Preamble acronyms and abbreviations. Throughout this document, whenever “we,” “us,” “the Agency,” or “our” is intended to refer to the EPA. We use multiple acronyms and terms in this preamble. While this list may not be exhaustive, to ease the reading of this preamble and for reference purposes, the EPA defines the following terms and acronyms here:

AC Air Conditioning AC/HP Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps AHJ Authority Having Jurisdiction AHRI Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute AIM Act American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 ANSI American National Standards Institute APA Administrative Procedure Act ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers BTU British Thermal Units CAA Clean Air Act CFR Code of Federal Regulations CO2 Carbon Dioxide CRA Congressional Review Act CUSER Coalition for the Use of Safe and Efficient Refrigerants, Inc. EAV Equivalent Annualized Value EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FMI Food Industry Association FR Federal Register GHG Greenhouse Gas GWP Global Warming Potential HARDI Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International HCFC Hydrochlorofluorocarbon HFC Hydrofluorocarbon HFO Hydrofluoroolefin HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning IBC International Building Code ICC International Code Council IEBC International Existing Building Code IFC International Fire Code IFR Interim Final Rule IMC International Mechanical Code IPR Industrial Process Refrigeration ISO International Organization for Standardization MCA Maximum Credible Accident MMTEVe Million Metric Tons of Exchange Value Equivalent NAICS North American Industry Classification System NFPA National Fire Protection Association NTTAA National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act ODS Ozone-Depleting Substance OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer OMB Office of Management and Budget PFAS Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances PRA Paperwork Reduction Act PV Present Value RFA Regulatory Flexibility Act RTC Response to Comments SC-GHG Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases SEMI Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International SMRE Semiconductor Manufacturing and Related Equipment SNAP Significant New Alternatives Policy UL Underwriters Laboratories (formerly) UMC Uniform Mechanical Code UMRA Unfunded Mandates Reform Act U.S.C. United States Code VRF Variable Refrigerant Flow

The passage that opens the rule's preamble, where the agency sets out what it is doing and on what authority. Every heading that follows it is listed below.

What the Rule Contains

Every heading the Federal Register prints in this rule, in the order it prints them. 64 headings, 52,233 words in all.

  1. AGENCYOn its face · 5 words
  2. ACTIONOn its face · 3 words
  3. SUMMARYOn its face · 175 words
  4. DATESOn its face · 10 words
  5. ADDRESSESOn its face · 195 words
  6. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTOn its face · 57 words
  7. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATIONPreamble · 320 words
  8. Table of ContentsPreamble · 3 words
  9. I. General InformationPreamble · 349 words
  10. I. General InformationPreamble · 3 words
  11. A. Executive SummaryPreamble · 186 words
  12. 1. Purpose of the Deregulatory ActionPreamble · 678 words
  13. 2. Summary of the Major Provisions of This Regulatory ActionPreamble · 1,144 words
  14. B. Does this action apply to me?Preamble · 382 words
  15. II. Statutory Background and Regulatory HistoryPreamble · 6 words
  16. A. What is the authority for this action?Preamble · 895 words
  17. B. SeverabilityPreamble · 168 words
  18. C. Summary of 2023 Final RulePreamble · 444 words
  19. D. Summary of 2023 Interim Final RulePreamble · 145 words
  20. E. Summary of Administrative Petitions and Requests Related to This RulemakingPreamble · 366 words
  21. F. Judicial Review and Administrative ReviewPreamble · 517 words
  22. III. Summary of Final ActionPreamble · 5 words
  23. A. Refrigerated Transport--Intermodal ContainersPreamble · 890 words
  24. 2. Final RulePreamble · 260 words
  25. B. Industrial Process Refrigeration and Chillers for Industrial Process Refrigeration in Semiconductor ManufacturingPreamble · 1,621 words
  26. C. Retail Food--Supermarket SystemsPreamble · 1,881 words
  27. 2. Final RulePreamble · 739 words
  28. D. Retail Food--Remote Condensing Unit SystemsPreamble · 1,254 words
  29. E. Cold Storage WarehousesPreamble · 1,236 words
  30. F. Replacement Condensing Units in the Residential and Light Commercial Air Conditioning and Heat Pump SubsectorPreamble · 1,556 words
  31. G. Industrial Process Refrigeration in Certain Laboratory EquipmentPreamble · 2,049 words
  32. H. Preventing Stranded Inventory of Residential and Light Commercial Air Conditioning and Heat Pump EquipmentPreamble · 866 words
  33. I. Labeling CorrectionPreamble · 36 words
  34. J. Effective Date of Rules Under Paragraph (i)(6)Preamble · 1,013 words
  35. IV. Comments and ResponsesPreamble · 67 words
  36. A. Refrigerated Transport--Intermodal ContainersPreamble · 632 words
  37. B. Industrial Process Refrigeration and Chillers for Industrial Process Refrigeration in Semiconductor ManufacturingPreamble · 1,266 words
  38. C. Retail Food--SupermarketsPreamble · 3 words
  39. 1. Graduated SchedulePreamble · 7,566 words
  40. 2. Expansion of Existing Supermarket SystemsPreamble · 2,022 words
  41. D. Retail Food--Remote Condensing UnitsPreamble · 4,102 words
  42. E. Cold Storage WarehousesPreamble · 3,019 words
  43. F. Replacement Condensing Units in the Residential and Light Commercial Air Conditioning and Heat Pump SubsectorPreamble · 2,612 words
  44. G. Industrial Process Refrigeration in Certain Laboratory EquipmentPreamble · 1,246 words
  45. H. Preventing Stranded Inventory of Residential and Light Commercial Air Conditioning and Heat Pump EquipmentPreamble · 1,526 words
  46. I. Labeling CorrectionPreamble · 62 words
  47. J. Effective Date of Rules Under Paragraph (i)(6)Preamble · 1,605 words
  48. K. Other Comments and ResponsesPreamble · 5 words
  49. 1. Assessment of Economic and Environmental ImpactsPreamble · 4,105 words
  50. V. How do These Final Amendments Impact the Implementation of the Technology Transitions Provisions?Preamble · 275 words
  51. VI. Statutory and Executive Order ReviewsPreamble · 19 words
  52. A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory ReviewPreamble · 341 words
  53. B. Executive Order 14192: Unleashing Prosperity Through DeregulationPreamble · 82 words
  54. C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)Preamble · 26 words
  55. D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)Preamble · 252 words
  56. E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)Preamble · 47 words
  57. F. Executive Order 13132: FederalismPreamble · 46 words
  58. G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal GovernmentsPreamble · 75 words
  59. H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental Health and Safety RisksPreamble · 123 words
  60. I. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or UsePreamble · 62 words
  61. J. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA)Preamble · 15 words
  62. K. Congressional Review Act (CRA)Preamble · 50 words
  63. List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 84Regulatory text · 64 words
  64. Subpart B--Restrictions on the Use of HydrofluorocarbonsRegulatory text · 1,355 words

The Rest of the Text

This rule runs to 52,233 words. The rest of it is set out over 3 pages, split at the rule's own headings so that no heading is parted from the words printed under it.

How to cite this
  1. The rule itself

    Environmental Protection Agency, “Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020,” 91 FR 31284 (May 26, 2026). Effective July 27, 2026.
    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/26/2026-10387/phasedown-of-hydrofluorocarbons-reconsideration-of-certain-regulatory-requirements-promulgated-under

  2. This page

    “Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Promulgated Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020,” a final rule naming an order indexed here. Read the Mandate, https://readthemandate.org/rules/rule-2026-10387/ (retrieved October 10, 2026).

Cite the document when the claim is about what the document says. Cite this page when the indexing, the wording or the record of what has happened is what is being relied on.

How This Rule Is Set Out

Federal Register documents are United States government works and are not under copyright, so the rule is here whole rather than cut to an excerpt. It is split at the headings the Register itself prints: the line it is filed under, the captioned fields on its face, the preamble where the agency says what it is doing and why, and the amendments to the Code of Federal Regulations. No passage is shortened. This rule is long enough that its text is set out over 3 pages rather than one.

Two things the Register prints are not reproduced: the running head it repeats at every page break, and the tables it sets as pictures rather than as words. Its own marker for one of those tables, [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED], is left standing where the table was, so a reader can see that something is there and follow the link to the page it is on.