WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule to prohibit certain uses of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of greenhouse gases that does tremendous damage to the climate. HFCs are a type of “super pollutant” that cause 40 percent of global warming and warm the climate hundreds to thousands of times more effectively than carbon dioxide. They are typically used in air-conditioning systems, refrigeration units, and insulation. 

Last Congress, Murphy was joined by U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) in introducing the Super Pollutants Act – legislation that aims to reduce emissions of super pollutants by taking a number of steps to enable federal agencies to work with the business and non-profit communities to speed the adoption of emission-reducing technologies and policies, all while supporting American-led innovations.

“For too long, super pollutants were a huge problem that were all but ignored by policymakers,” said Murphy. “But now, thanks to the EPA’s quick action, we will finally start to phase-out the use of some of the HFC compounds doing the worst damage to our atmosphere. This crucial step will save money and drive economic growth here in the United States, all while helping to jump-start meaningful action on climate change with our partners around the world. President Obama and Administrator McCarthy should be commended for their bold action, and I look forward to building on their progress and addressing the threats of other super pollutants through my bipartisan Super Pollutants Act.”