G/TBT/N/USA/1954  
19 December 2022  
(22-9418) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1985]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
Hydrofluorocarbons; Environmental protection (ICS code(s): 13.020); Production in the 
chemical industry (ICS code( s): 71.020); Products of the chemical industry (ICS code(s): 
71.100)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Phasedown of 
Hydrofluorocarbons: Restrictions on the Use of Certain Hydrofluorocarbons Under 
Subsection (i) the Americ an Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020  
; (76 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking and advance notice of proposed 
rulemaking - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to issue regulations 
to impl ement certain provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act , as 
enacted on 27 December 2020. This rulemaking proposes to: restrict the use of 
hydrofluorocarbons in specific se ctors or subsectors in which they are used; establish a 
process for submitting technology transitions petitions ; establish recordkeeping and 
reporting requirements; and address certain other elements related to the effective 
implementation of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. The proposed 
restrictions on the use of hydrofluorocarbons would, in part, address petitions granted on 
7 October 2021, and 19 September 2022 . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is 
also seeking advance information on certain topics that may be helpful to developing a 
future propos ed rule including on restrictions on the use of hydrofluorocarbons for certain 
other sectors and subsectors and on a third -party auditing program to verify substances 
used in products.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection; Protection of the 
environment  G/TBT/N/USA/1954  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
87 Federal Register (FR) 76738, 15 December 2022; Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 84:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-12-15/html/2022 -26981.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-12-15/pdf/2022 -26981.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking and advance notice of proposed rulemaking is 
identified by Docket Num ber EPA -HQ-OAR-2021-0643. The Docket Folder is available 
from Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA -HQ-OAR-2021-
0643/document  and provides access to primar y and supporting documents as well as 
comments received. Documents are also accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching 
the Docket Number. WTO Members and their stakeholders are asked to submit comments 
to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or before 4pm Eastern Time  on 30 January 202 3. 
Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their 
stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will also be submitted to the Docket  
on Regulat ions.gov if received within the comment period.  
Reducing Use of HFCs  
https://www.epa.gov/climate -hfcs-reduction  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  30 January 2023  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/USA/22_8643_00_e.pdf