Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Review and Renewal of Eligibility for Application-Specific Allowances

<RULE> ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY <CFR>40 CFR Part 84</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0196; FRL-10782-02-OAR]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2060-AV98</RIN> <SUBJECT>Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Review and Renewal of Eligibility for Application-Specific Allowances</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing, pursuant to the statutory framework established in the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act), the eligibility of six applications to continue to receive priority access to allowances to produce or import hydrofluorocarbons. In this final rule, EPA establishes the framework for how EPA interprets the statutory criteria for assessing whether to renew the eligibility of applications to receive application-specific allowances and sets out determinations to renew or not renew each of the six applications that currently receive application-specific allowances. EPA is also finalizing revisions to the Technology Transitions regulations relevant to the specific applications under review, a procedural process for submitting a petition to designate a new application as eligible for priority access to allowances, the methodology used to allocate allowances to application-specific allowance holders for calendar years 2026 and beyond, and limited revisions to existing regulations. In addition, EPA is authorizing an entity to produce regulated substances for export. Lastly, EPA is finalizing certain regulatory confidentiality determinations for newly reported information. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This rule is effective on September 25, 2025. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0196. All documents in the docket are listed on the <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov</E> website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, <E T="03">e.g.,</E> Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard-copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available electronically through <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov</E> or in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center, Room 3334, WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the EPA Docket Center is (202) 566-1742. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Michelle Graff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Stratospheric Protection Division, telephone number: (202) 564-5387; or email address: <E T="03">graff.michelle@epa.gov.</E> You may also visit EPA's website at <E T="03">https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction</E> for further information. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> Throughout this document, whenever “we,” “us,” “the Agency,” or “our” is used, we mean EPA. Acronyms and abbreviations that are used in this rulemaking that may be helpful include: <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">2-BTP—2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AAGR—Average Annual Growth Rate</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ACE—Automated Commercial Environment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AD/CVD—Anti-dumping and Countervailing Duties</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AES—Automated Export System</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AIM Act—American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AHRI—Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">APU—Auxiliary Power Unit</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ASHRAE—American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ASA—Application-specific Allowance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CAA—Clean Air Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CBI—Confidential Business Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CBP—U.S. Customs and Border Protection</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CFR—Code of Federal Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CGMP—Current Good Manufacturing Practice</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1"> CO <E T="52">2</E> —Carbon Dioxide </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">COVID—Coronavirus Disease</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CRA—Congressional Review Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">CVD—Chemical Vapor Deposition</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOC—U.S. Department of Commerce</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DOD—U.S. Department of Defense</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EEI—Electronic Export Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EV—Exchange Value</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EVe—Exchange Value Equivalent</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EPA—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FDA—U.S. Food and Drug Administration</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FIFRA—Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FR—Federal Register</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">GDP—Gross Domestic Product</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">GHG—Greenhouse Gas</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">GWP—Global Warming Potential</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HCFC—Hydrochlorofluorocarbon</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HFA—Hydrofluoroalkane</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HFC—Hydrofluorocarbon</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HFO—Hydrofluoroolefin</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HHS—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">HVM—High Volume Manufacturing</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ICR—Information Collection Request</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">IPCC—Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ITN—Internal Transaction Number</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">Kg—Kilogram</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MCMEU—Mission-Critical Military End Uses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MCTOC—Medical and Chemicals Technical Options Committee</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MDI—Metered Dose Inhaler</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MT—Metric Ton</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">MTEVe—Metric Tons of Exchange Value Equivalent</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NAICS—North American Industry Classification System</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">OMB—U.S. Office of Management and Budget</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PFAS—Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PFC—Perfluorocarbon</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PII—Personally Identifiable Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PRA—Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">PU—Polyurethane</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RACA—Request for Additional Consumption Allowance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RFA—Regulatory Flexibility Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RIA—Regulatory Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">RSV—Respiratory Syncytial Virus</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SCPPU—Structural Composite Preformed Polyurethane</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">SNAP—Significant New Alternatives Policy</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TCE—Trichloroethylene</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TEAP—Technology and Economic Assessment Panel</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TSCA—Toxic Substances Control Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TSD—Technical Support Document</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">UMRA—Unfunded Mandates Reform Act</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of Final Actions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. General Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Does this action apply to me?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. What is EPA's authority for taking this action?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. How is EPA assessing whether to extend eligibility for application-specific allowances?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. How is EPA interpreting the “no safe or technically achievable substitute will be available” criterion?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. How is EPA interpreting the insufficient supply of regulated substances criterion?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. What is EPA's framework for renewing applications?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Review of the Six Applications Listed in the AIM Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Propellants in Metered Dose Inhalers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Availability of Safe and Technically Achievable Substitutes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Supply</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Final Determination on Application-Specific Allowance Eligibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Defense Sprays</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Availability of Safe and Technically Achievable Substitutes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Supply</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Final Determination on Application-Specific Allowance Eligibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Restriction Under 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart B</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Structural Composite Preformed Polyurethane Foam for Marine Use and Trailer Use</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Availability of Safe and Technically Achievable Substitutes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2"> 2. Supply </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Final Determination on Application-Specific Allowance Eligibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Etching of Semiconductor Material or Wafers and the Cleaning of Chemical Vapor Deposition Chambers Within the Semiconductor Manufacturing Sector</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Availability of Safe and Technically Achievable Substitutes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Supply</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Final Determination on Application-Specific Allowance Eligibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Mission-Critical Military End Uses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Onboard Aerospace Fire Suppression</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. What are the requirements associated with a petition to be listed as an application that will receive application-specific allowances?</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VII. Revisions to Existing Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Expected Total HFC Purchases</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 368k characters. 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