AHRI has intervened on the side of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in a lawsuit brought against the Department by an array of states and environmental advocacy groups, which have petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to void DOE’s final rule that raised the federal minimum AFUE standards for indoor residential gas furnaces and mobile home gas furnaces from 78 percent to 80 percent, effective Nov. 19, 2015.

AHRI intervened in support of the 80 percent AFUE standard and plans to file briefs to respond to the petitioners’ arguments.

The petitioners, including N.Y., Conn., Mass., Calif., N.J., New York City and the Natural Resources Defense Council, claim that DOE erred in failing to prescribe a 90 percent AFUE national minimum efficiency standard for indoor gas furnaces.

In a May 7 legal brief, they maintain that DOE did not include in its review the benefits of a 90 percent AFUE standard on reducing natural gas prices and global warming emissions.

The petitioners had no dispute with DOE’s new standards for outdoor gas furnaces, oil furnaces, or gas and oil boilers.