On July 21, 2026, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general and New York City in filing suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) challenging its rule that weakens restrictions on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), highly potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and cooling equipment.  

Congress enacted the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, directing EPA to reduce the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent by 2036. EPA implemented that mandate through a 2 023 rule establishing deadlines for manufacturers and businesses to transition to cleaner refrigerants. In May 2026, however, EPA finalized a rule delaying several of those deadlines.  

The coalition argues that the rule unlawfully delays the phaseout of HFCs, which are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide, and violates both the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. The coalition asks the court to vacate the rule and restore the stronger standards designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

Many Massachusetts families are already struggling with the high cost of living, and the effects of climate change, like wildfire smoke, are impacting our daily lives. Yet the Trump Administration is delaying the transition to cleaner refrigerants in favor of more polluting alternatives. That decision will increase the cost of cooling our homes, increase costs for businesses that may ultimately be passed on to consumers, and exacerbate climate change and its harmful effects on Massachusetts residents. I will continue fighting to protect Massachusetts consumers, defend our public health and welfare, and hold the federal administration accountable for unlawful actions.Attorney General Andrea Campbell