The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is giving its approval to the House Energy & Commerce Committee for passage of H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act. The energy bill includes technical corrections to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). AHRI joined other HVAC industry groups supporting the legislation in a letter saying the legislation goes a long way towards modernizing and protecting the energy infrastructure, while making strong advances in the use of energy efficient technology.

"AHRI is pleased that the committee is addressing the important issue of energy," said AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek. "We are hopeful that the full House will act quickly on this legislation and that the Senate will follow suit. We are particularly grateful to Representatives Mike Pompeo (R-KS), John Shimkus (R-IL), and Bob Latta (R-OH) for their work on the aspects of this bill most important to our member companies."

Rep. Pompeo added technical corrections to EPCA, which require that Department of Energy (DOE) product standards be based on a final revised test procedure, ensure stakeholder input on the formation of proposed rules, and make DOE's technical and economic assumptions — methods and models used to justify a standard — available for public review, analysis, and use.

The corrections also allow for consideration of the cumulative effects of federal regulations. Rep. Shimkus added a technical correction correcting regional standard enforcement dates to the date of manufacture. Rep. Latta's amendment provides an opportunity to work with DOE to rely on third-party verification programs like the ones established and run by AHRI.