State Assemblyman joins stakeholders in appeal of proposed prohibition of HFC refrigerants

North Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is expected to release changes to regulations that would prohibit the use of a common refrigerant used in most refrigerators and air conditioners, one local state lawmakers is warning that this would come at a great cost.

Assemblyman Bill Conrad (D-NY 140) at Market in the Square in North Tonawanda on Friday joined stakeholders that included local grocery store owners, union laborers and refrigeration specialists to issue an appeal to the state DEC for changes to its proposed phase out of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants or HFC refrigerants.

"While we all share the state's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change, this proposed ban cited by the DEC as necessary to the implementation of the CLCPA Protection Act is clearly not the way forward," said the assemblyman.

HFCs are heat-absorbing chemicals used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment and as aerosol propellants and solvents.

The timeline is being referred to as an "aggressive" approach by New York State. As the revisions as they are currently written, climate-HFC use in certain sectors across New York State would be limited starting Jan. 1, 2025.

"As it is currently written, the revisions would impose infeasible and extremely costly prohibitions on the use of HFCs that are far more aggressive, and near-term than anywhere else in the US, including even at the federal level. This would force stakeholders to replace or retrofit their existing equipment regardless of its age, performance or remaining service life and rely on alternative refrigerants that are not readily available or compatible with current systems, nor even proven to be any safer."

Assemblyman Conrad, alongside the stakeholders and refrigeration experts, agree that much of the cost that comes with the transition will ultimately come down to the taxpayer, including high replacement costs for restaurant owners, grocery stores, hospitals and food manufacturers.

"The proposed CO2 system can work and it does work, but it's expensive," said Bob Mesmer of Mesmer Refrigeration.

"It's expensive to install, and it's expensive to maintain, expensive to run. Therefore, it really is not that effective. We also don't have techs to support the equipment, to install it or to service it. And we also have to take many, many years to to do this. People like for example, certain supermarkets may have to put $3-to-$4 million into their supermarket, to bring it up to specs. We don't have the equipment for it at this point. And we'd have to gut the store and start over. It's that simple."

Efforts by the assemblyman not only extend to attempts to extend the public comment period on this particular issue, but letters to Gov. Kathy Hochul and the DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and the introduction of a bill that would require regulations related to hydrofluorocarbon substances to conform with those set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"We must strike a balance between protecting the environment and supporting the economy by ensuring consistency and clarity for businesses like the ones we have represented here," Conrad added.

In addition, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released the findings of the CLCPA audit, which reports that the agencies tasked with drafting the CLCPA have under-planned and used outdated data.