A coalition of 18 Democratic-led states, Washington, D.C., and New York City has sued the Trump administration over a federal decision to give businesses more time to move away from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chemicals widely used in refrigeration and cooling systems that contribute significantly to global warming.
The challenge, filed in a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., targets a recent Environmental Protection Agency rule that pushes back deadlines for companies to replace HFC-based refrigerants with less harmful alternatives.
The states argue that the move could increase greenhouse gas emissions and weaken the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, a 2020 law that calls for an 85% reduction in HFC use by 2036.
The regulation is scheduled to take effect on July 27.
HFCs are commonly used in air-conditioning systems, supermarket refrigerators and freezers, and specialized cooling equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. Environmental groups and state officials say delaying the transition could undermine progress already made under the federal phaseout program.
One provision at the center of the dispute would allow supermarkets, convenience stores and bakeries to continue using certain remote condensing systems until 2032, even when the refrigerants involved have a global warming potential more than nine times higher than previously permitted levels.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office is leading the legal challenge alongside officials from Massachusetts and Washington state, accused the administration of reversing climate protections and favoring industry interests.
“The EPA’s new rule would undo the progress we’ve made, and penalize companies that have complied with the law,” Bonta said while announcing the lawsuit.
The legal challenge also includes states such as Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, along with Washington, D.C., and New York City.
The EPA has defended its broader deregulation agenda, arguing that easing regulatory requirements can reduce costs for businesses and consumers. In a regulatory filing, the agency said the new rule would help lower living costs and avoid forcing companies to adopt technologies that could raise prices for food and semiconductor production.
The agency also linked the policy to President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for a broad push to reduce regulations and promote economic growth.
The lawsuit adds to a growing legal fight over the administration’s rollback of environmental rules and its approach to climate policy.
