G/TBT/N/USA/1325  
 
15 December 2017  
(17-6967) 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 AME RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1346]  
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 [  ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Flammable 
refrigerants  
Products of the chemical industry (ICS 71.100), Kitchen equipment (IC S 97.040).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Protection of 
Stratospheric Ozone: Revision to References for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector 
To Incorporate Latest Edition of Certain Industry, Consensus -Based Stand ards (3 page(s), 
in English)   
6. Description of content: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
modify the use conditions required for use of three flammable refrigerants, isobutane 
(R-600a), propane (R -290), and R -441A, in new household refrigerators, freezers, and 
combination refrigerators and freezers under the Significant New Alternatives Policy 
(SNAP) program. The use conditions, which address safe use of flammable refrigerants, 
would reflect the incorporation by reference o f an updated standard from Underwriters 
Laboratories. In the "Rules and Regulations" section of this Federal Register, we are 
modifying these use conditions as a direct final rule without a prior proposed rule. If we 
receive no adverse comment, we will not  take further action on this proposed rule.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:  82 Federal Register (FR) 58154, 11 December 2017; Title 40 Code 
of Fede ral Regulations (CFR) Part 82.  Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted.  
Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Revision to References for Refrigeration and Air 
Conditioning Sector To Incorporate Latest Edition of Certain Industry, Consensus -Based 
Standards, Direct Final Rule published 11 December 2017 will be issued as Add.1:  
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2017-12-11/html/2017 -26085.htm  
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2017-12-11/pdf/2017 -26085.pdf   G/TBT/N/USA/1325  
 
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  9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments: 25 January 2018  
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/2017/TBT/USA/17_5547_00_e.pdf