To: President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin

Subject: Make American Air Conditioning Affordable Again

We, the undersigned American business owners, contractors, HVAC professionals, and concerned families, respectfully support this petition to request the full repeal of Subsection (i) of the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act.

Background

The AIM Act, enacted in 2020, created a phasedown schedule for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), aiming to reduce high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants through an orderly market-based allowance system. This framework was intended to give American industries the time and flexibility to transition to lower-GWP alternatives without unnecessary economic disruption.

However, in 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under authority granted by Subsection (i) of the Act, initiated sector-based restrictions on the use of certain HFCs far in advance of the phasedown schedule outlined in the law. These actions have resulted in:

Severe market disruptions in critical industries such as HVAC and Refrigeration
Limited refrigerant options due to the low GWP requirements with little time to research and develop. There are only a handful of refrigerants that meet this new requirement. 
Reduced product availability as the primarily used alternatives are under patent protection and only available from a couple manufacturers
Higher equipment and installation costs for both contractors and consumers
Small business hardship, particularly for independent contractors and local distributors without access to expensive training, new tools, or costly equipment conversions.
Why Subsection (i) Should Be Removed

Redundancy and Overreach: The allowance-based phasedown schedule in Section (e) already ensures a predictable decline in HFC use. Subsection (i) imposes overlapping restrictions that undermine the original intent of the AIM Act.
Lack of Market Readiness: The EPA’s sector-specific bans have outpaced the availability of alternatives, violating the Act’s own requirement to consider affordability, feasibility, and training burdens.
Unfair Competitive Advantage: By effectively mandating the use of proprietary refrigerants, Subsection (i) creates monopolistic conditions that benefit a few large chemical companies while harming competition and inflating costs.
Public Harm: American homeowners and businesses are now paying significantly more for air conditioning and refrigeration services—especially during extreme weather—due to product shortages and inflated prices caused by premature bans.
Bypasses Legislative Oversight: Subsection (i) gives the EPA sweeping authority to regulate entire sectors without a Congressional vote, undermining the balance of powers.
Our Request

We respectfully request that Congress remove Subsection (i) from the AIM Act through legislative amendment. In doing so, the United States can return to the original intent of the law: a gradual, fair, and market-driven transition away from HFCs without sudden mandates that hurt American families and small businesses.

We urge you to act swiftly to restore balance, transparency, and fairness to the refrigerant transition process.

For more information please visit: MAACAA.org