DEC Learn which regs are coming onboard and how to respond - The Post Star

DEC Learn which regs are coming onboard and how to respond

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced three actions to support the State’s ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as required by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act).

DEC is filing draft regulations to reduce emissions of two potent greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. In addition, DEC released the 2023 annual “Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report,” which tracks trends of these and other emissions as part of the state’s implementation of the Climate Act.

“New York State continues to advance efforts to help reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions and bolster community resilience,” Seggos said in a statement. “HFCs, SF6, and other greenhouse gases are accelerating the costly economic, public health, and environmental impacts of climate change in New York State and across the globe. The draft regulations filed today help bring New York closer to realizing the Climate Act’s ambitious emission reduction requirements.”

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HFCs are extremely potent greenhouse gases often used in refrigeration and cooling that have hundreds to thousands of times higher global warming potential than natural refrigerants. DEC filed proposed amendments to the state’s environmental laws to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerants, foams, and aerosol propellants.

SF6 is the most potent greenhouse gas and in New York State is used in electric power transmission and distribution equipment. DEC also filed a new draft regulation, which includes a program to phase down the use of SF6 in gas-insulated equipment used by the electricity sector.

The draft regulations will be published in the State Register and available for public comment on Jan. 10, 2024 at https://dec.ny.gov/regulatory/regulations/proposed-emergency-recently-a…. DEC is holding public hearings on the proposed regulations on March 13, 2024 for HFCs/Part 494 and March 14, 2024, for SF6/Part 495. The public comment deadline for HFCs/Part 494 will be March 19, 2024, and for SF6/Part 495 will be March 21, 2024.