California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Thursday teamed with over a dozen of his counterparts across the country to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to cut down the use of a potent greenhouse gas.
Bonta joined attorneys general from 12 states and the District of Columbia in backing the agency's plan to reduce use of hydrofluorocarbons. Commonly used in refrigerant, air conditioning units, building foams and aerosols, hydrofluorocarbons are the fastest-growing source of emissions in the country and around the world.
Hydrofluorocarbons are far more potent than carbon dioxide in its ability to trap heat over 20 years, but spend far less time in the Earth's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide emissions can linger for over a century, whereas hydrofluorocarbons can last about 15 years in the atmosphere.
Reducing such emissions will be the most effective and efficient ways to alleviate the worst impacts of climate change and protect the communities constantly hit with pollution, the California Department of Justice said in a release on Thursday.
"The hard truth is: We’re running out of time in the fight against climate change," Bonta said. "In California, we’re already seeing its devastating effects on our environment, our economy and our communities – from deadly wildfires to record-breaking heatwaves to epic droughts."
The Environmental Protection Agency estimated phasing down hydrofluorocarbons would result in $2.6 billion in "net benefits" in 2022, and as many as $17.9 billion in 2036.
Bonta and his colleagues want the agency to implement the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act’s requirement to phase down hydrofluorocarbons by 85% from now until 2036. They also called on the agency to quickly finalize a rule that minimizes harm to tribal communities and environmental justice, while considering the social cost and long-term harm of the emissions in evaluating the proposal.
