美国参议院委员会就《美国能源创新法案》修订案达成一致，美国向逐步淘汰氢氟烃迈出了第一步。
The USA moved a step closer to implementing an HFC phase down following a Senate committee agreement on a revised amendment to the American Energy Innovation Act.
由参议院环境和公共工程委员会提出的修订案将首次批准全国范围内分15年逐步减少氢氟烃的使用。该修正案要求环境保护署（EPA）逐步削减氢氟烃生产和消费的85％，因此2036年氢氟烃产量将减少至2011-2013年平均生产消费水平的约15％。
The revised amendment, introduced by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, will authorise a 15-year phase down of HFCs at a national level for the first time. The amendment requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement an 85% phase down of the production and consumption of HFCs, so they reach approximately 15% of their 2011-2013 average annual levels by 2036.
这项修正案是两党在《美国创新和制造业法案》(S. 2754)的基础上达成的妥协。《美国创新和制造业法案》是参议员约翰·肯尼迪(John Kennedy)和汤姆·卡珀(Tom Carper)去年提出的两党议案。
The amendment is a bipartisan compromise based on the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (S. 2754), a bipartisan bill introduced last year by senators John Kennedy and Tom Carper.
根据该协议，修订后的修正案将明确氢氟烃的适用范围，以确保有足够的氢氟烃供应于必要用途，例如国防喷雾剂、医用吸入器、半导体制造和关键军事用途。
Under the agreement, the revised amendment will protect essential uses of HFCs, including ensuring there are sufficient supplies of HFCs for essential uses, including defence sprays, medical inhalers, semiconductor manufacturing, and mission-critical military uses.
它还将保护消费者免受成本上升的影响，明确环境保护署在加快15年的监管时间表里，不应该比市场已经达到的氢氟烃消费水平更快。
It will also provide protection for consumers from cost increases by ensuring EPA cannot accelerate the 15-year regulatory timeline faster than HFC consumption levels that the market is already achieving.
实体利益
Substantial benefits
AHRI总裁兼首席执行官Stephen Yurek对这一消息表示欢迎，他说:“这项修正案使我们向逐步实施减少氢氟烃又迈进了一步，并且可以从新型制冷剂技术的过渡中获取可观的经济利益。”这项修正案将实现制冷行业的目标，同时保护消费者，提供显著的经济和环境效益，我们感谢参议院两党领导人的帮助和远见。”
Welcoming the news, AHRI president and CEO Stephen Yurek said: “This amendment brings us one step closer to implementing an HFC phasedown and reaping the substantial economic benefits associated with this transition to new refrigerant technologies. The amendment will accomplish our industry’s refrigerant objectives while protecting consumers and providing significant economic and environmental benefits, and we are grateful to this bipartisan group of Senate leaders for their assistance and foresight.”
“我们感谢两党大力支持该法案,因为它提供了一个明确的发展方向。氢氟烃在美国的逐步淘汰，将加强美国在全球的技术领先地位。”大气政策联盟主任凯文·费伊说。
“We are appreciative of the strong bipartisan support for this legislation as it provides for clear development of a uniform, federally-based HFC phasedown in the United States that will also enhance continued American technology leadership in our country as well as around the globe,” said Kevin Fay, director of the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy.
这项修正案并非没有反对者。非营利自由主义Competitive Enterprise Institute表示，这开了一个“危险的先例”，将使得消费者的制冷成本增加。
The amendment is not without its critics. The Competitive Enterprise Institute, a non-profit libertarian think tank, said it set a “dangerous precedent” and would raise the cost of air conditioning and refrigeration for the consumer.
