The Latest Anti-Small-Business Effort to Stop Global Warming

The Obama Administration is at it again — imposing costly and unnecessary environmental regulations— this time on hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs). HFCS are coolants used in almost every building, home, and automobile, and the Obama Administration wants people to think they are the cause of global warming.

– In the first five years of the Obama Administration, regulatory costs have increased by more than $73 billion.
– Not surprisingly, the Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for the largest portion of costly regulations.
– Yet even as regulations have become more complex, there is no real evidence that warming has occurred over the past 15 years.

Moreover, no link has been established between HFCs and global warming, so it would be a waste of money. Ironically, the use of HFCs came about in the 1980’s after the government tried to prevent the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) because they were tied to a thinning ozone layer. And even if HFCs were linked to warming, unilateral actions by the U.S. would unlikely halt the warming of the Earth but rather hurt American companies that are trying to compete globally.

In this particular case, the President has sought voluntary commitments from America’s largest corporations like Coca Cola, Target, and more, to phase out their use of HFCs. However, the ones hit hardest by the new rules will be small companies that can’t afford to convert to alternative coolants. Small businesses could not deal with the new rules and would have to inhibit their new and innovative products as resources will instead be used to find alternatives for HFCs.

The Administration’s attempts are clearly misguided, just as past regulations have been, and will only seek to hurt American businesses.

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