As part of President Joe Biden’s commitment to fight climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency recently announced the next step in an effort to reduce how many hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are released across the nation.

HFCs are viewed as a climate-damaging by-product of many plants, according to an Oct. 20 EPA news release. The EPA is implementing the nation’s HFC phasedown in steps. The plan calls for a 40% reduction below historic levels starting in 2024.

“From day one, President Biden promised ambitious action to address the climate crisis and its impacts, which are becoming ever more disruptive and costing billions of dollars every year,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in the release. “Today’s action once again delivers on his promise.” 

The end objective is to reduce HFCs while allowing American manufacturing and innovation to improve, according to the release. 

“This proposal also sets the United States on track to meet the goals of the Kigali Amendment, fostering innovation and economic growth in the private sector and reinforcing U.S. leadership in the global fight against climate change,” Regan continued, according to the release.

This announcement establishes the method for allocating HFC production and consumption allowances for 2024 and beyond. It is similar to the system used to issue allowances in 2022 and 2023, the release reported.

“Last month, we achieved a historic climate win in the Senate by coming together in a bipartisan manner to ratify the Kigali Amendment,” Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper, D-Del., said in the release. “I applaud the Biden administration’s continued commitment to fully implementing the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act on schedule. Doing so keeps our nation on track to meet our HFC-reduction goals required under this global treaty, which is good for our planet and good for American businesses and workers.”