Auto Care Association Regulatory Update – Monday, September 28, 2026
There are several new actions of interest this week.
New Actions
Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Standards - NHTSA issued an interpretive rule limiting its authority to set standards for medium and heavy duty on-highway vehicles and work trucks to standards for fuel economy only and not for engines. NHTSA will propose rulemaking in the future following this new interpretive rule.
More Information: Interpretive Rule
Mobile Air Conditioning - Puerto Rico's Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO) Regulation 9732, implementing Act 86 of Oct. 11, 2022, is now in effect and restricts the sale of refrigerant substances in Puerto Rico.
Under the regulation, refrigerant, including HCFCs, HFCs, and HFOs used in automotive air conditioning systems, may only be sold to buyers who hold both a Puerto Rico Department of State technician or engineer license and EPA Section 608 or 609 certification, as applicable. Sellers must maintain a daily log of refrigerant sold, including the buyer's name, license number, email, and EPA certification.
DACO has moved from an education and orientation phase into enforcement. Fines run up to $5,000 per violation and apply to suppliers, technicians, and unlicensed buyers.
As written, the regulation restricts sale of small-can automotive refrigerant to licensed technicians only. This differs from the virgin-content and composition-based approaches seen in mainland refrigerant legislation, such as New York's Part 494.
Businesses selling refrigerant in Puerto Rico should confirm point-of-sale processes verify buyer licensure and EPA certification, and that sales records meet the regulation's logging requirements.
More Information: Puerto Rico Agency Website
Coin Batteries - CPSC is taking comments on a new UL standard for button cell and coin batteries. Comments are due Sept. 17, 2026.
More Information: Comment Solicitation
Ongoing Activity
New Hampshire Vehicle Inspections - EPA proposes to update New Hampshire's SIP to remove the vehicle inspection requirement. Comments are due Sept. 25, 2026.
More Information: Proposed Rule
1,1,2-trichloroethane Risk Assessment - EPA is collecting comments on the draft risk assessment for 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Comments are due Sept. 28, 2026.
More Information: Draft Assessment
Black Mass and Tungsten Export - The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a temporary final rule restricting export of black mass and tungsten and is seeking comments on making permanent that restriction. Comments are due Nov. 4, 2026.
More Information: Temporary Final Rule
More Information: Guidance Notice
If you have questions about any of these items, please contact Grant MacIntyre, director, regulatory affairs and senior attorney, Auto Care Association.
Your Association's government affairs staff works 24/7/365 on your behalf to fight policies and regulations that may be harmful to your business. Here you'll find the latest updates on their issue-related work including testimonies, hearings, meetings, comments and actions.
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2021 Auto Care Advocacy Report
March 24, 2022Advocacy is essential, and by adding your voice, our impact adds up. This report details our 2021 efforts across all three facets of advocacy: grassroots, lobbying and PAC. However, in order to be effective, we must have your support and engagement. The 2021 Advocacy Report details ways you can get involved - and we made it as easy as 1, 2, 3.