UPDATE** Important News For Homeowners About 80% Furnaces
Thursday, March 21st, 2013This week a motion was filed with U.S. Court of Appeals to request a stay or delay from the May 1 effective date for the Regional Efficiency Standards in the Northern Region. The motion, which was filed by the Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) echoes comments presented to the court by HARDI (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International) regarding the uncertainty that this looming deadline has brought upon the entire HVACR industry. HARDI will be filing a response in support of the motion to stay or delay the deadline. This motion is necessary, because as of the publication of this email, the court has not yet agreed to accept the proposed settlement agreement between the American Public Gas Association (APGA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Until the court officially accepts this settlement, the May 1 compliance date still stands and it will be illegal to install a non-compliant residential gas furnace in the Northern Region. To date, the DOE has yet to respond to two requests for a delay in the effective date, thus forcing stakeholders to ask the court to intervene.To reiterate, a settlement has been proposed regarding regional efficiency standards for residential gas furnaces in the Northern Region, but as of today the court has yet to accept this settlement. There is no timetable for when the court may rule on both the APGA/DOE settlement. Because of uncertainty regarding the proximity of the May 1 compliance date, AHRI has filed a motion to stay or delay the effective date and HARDI will be filing a supportive response.
In summary, the court has been dragging their feet in approving the settlement between the American Public Gas Association and the Department of Energy, filed on January 11, 2013, which would vacate the current May 1, 2013 deadline. The court still has until April 30th to either accept the settlement, or issue a stay or delay on the May 1st effective date. If the court does neither, the April 30, 2013, deadline for the installation of 80+ furnaces in our market area will go into effect as original mandated. Then, the ban on the installation of 80+ furnaces will continue from May 1st until the court rules.
