AHRI, HARDI challenge New York HFC rule in court

New York State has attempted to lead the nation in phasing down HFCs with rules stricter than federal requirements — but AHRI and HARDI are arguing in court that the state has gone too far, too fast.

What’s happening: New York’s Part 494 regulation — introduced in 2020, with an amended version adopted in January 2025 — significantly expands prohibitions on the sale, use, and installation of a range of products containing HFC refrigerants. 

• In April 2025, AHRI and HARDI jointly filed a lawsuit against the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, seeking to void the amended regulation; however, in December 2025, a judge let it stand. 
• On May 8, 2026, the HVAC associations submitted an appellate brief in court challenging that decision, AHRI said Thursday. 

Why it matters: Critics have so far focused heavily on the impacts on supermarket cold cases, but the rule also stands to impact the state’s residential HVAC market. 

• Under Part 494, all residential and light commercial air conditioners and heat pumps sold or installed in New York would be required to use refrigerants with a GWP of “no greater than 10 or 20,” starting January 1, 2034 — equipment not currently available in the U.S. 

What they’re saying: “[T]he appeal explains that New York’s rule goes well beyond federal requirements, mandates ‘ultra-low’ refrigerants that are not yet feasible or approved for many applications, and imposes aggressive timelines without accounting for safety standards, supply constraints, or real-world market readiness,” AHRI wrote Thursday. 

• “It also outlines serious concerns with the rulemaking process, including inadequate cost analyses and insufficient consideration of impacts on distributors, contractors, and small businesses,” it added. 

What we’re watching: The case is now pending, and the respondents have 30 days to file a Response Brief, AHRI noted. 

• The outcome could influence how other states with related initiatives, including California and Washington, approach similar requirements.