a man in california first time in america He will be charged with smuggling “very potent greenhouse gases” from Mexico. The Department of Justice reported Monday.
Michael Hart, 58, of San Diego, was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of illegally smuggling hydrofluorocarbons, commonly used as refrigerants, into the country for profit, the Department of Justice announced.
The agency said Hart bought the refrigerant in Mexico, hid it under tarps and car tools before entering the United States, and then listed the refrigerant on OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace and other online sellers for sale. It is claimed that. According to the Department of Justice, Hart sold the refrigerant for a profit.
Charges related to the Trump administration American Innovation and Manufacturing Act The 2020 law states that the Environmental Protection Agency must approve the import of HFCs.
by EPA, HFCs are “greenhouse gases” commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, building insulation, fire suppression systems, and aerosols. The EPA claims that HFCs have a “high global warming potential.”
of Climate and Clean Air Coalition HFCs are “very potent and short-lived climate pollutants, with an average lifetime in the atmosphere of 15 years,” the authors note. Synthesis gas “represents about 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions.”
“The most abundant HFCs warm the planet 3,790 times more than CO2 over 20 years,” the coalition claimed.
“The global warming potential (GWP) of HFCs is hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide. With the global phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and increased demand for refrigeration and air conditioning, “The use of HFCs is rapidly increasing around the world,” the Department of Justice said.
“The illegal smuggling of hydrofluorocarbons, a highly potent greenhouse gas, is a threat to international efforts to combat climate change under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol,” said David M. Woolman, deputy administrator in EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. It’s ruining it,” he said.
“Anyone who seeks to profit from illegal activities that exacerbate climate change must be held accountable. “This highlights the importance of our efforts to stop the virus from entering the United States,” Uhlmann added.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath called the charges “an important milestone for our country.”
“This is the first time the Department of Justice has prosecuted someone for illegally importing greenhouse gases, and it won’t be the last. “We are taking steps,” McGrath said.
The Department of Justice reported that Hart entered a not guilty plea on Monday and his next hearing is scheduled for March 25.
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