OLYMPIA, Washington — The Washington State Department of Ecology has established the Washington Refrigerant Task Force and selected Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) as one of its voting industry representatives.

Created under House Bill 1462, passed during Washington's 2025 legislative session, the task force will develop recommendations for the Washington Legislature on how—or whether—the state should transition to ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants by 2035.

The task force will begin meeting in July 2026 and continue monthly through 2027. Its final report will be presented to the Washington Legislature for consideration during the 2028 legislative session.

According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, the task force will evaluate transition strategies while considering the different types of refrigerant-containing equipment used across industries. The group will also examine whether varying implementation timelines may be needed for different market segments and assess the feasibility of an ultra-low-GWP transition.

HARDI will serve as a voting member, giving the HVACR distribution industry a role in developing the report's recommendations. Todd Titus, director of state government affairs for HARDI, was selected to represent the association on the task force.

The voting membership includes representatives from HVACR manufacturing, distribution, contracting, refrigeration, labor, environmental organizations, supermarkets, agriculture, public safety, and government. Auxiliary members will provide technical expertise during meetings as requested.

Voting Task Force Members:

• Mike Armstrong, president and managing director, A-Gas;
• Jennifer Dennerline, branch service manager, Johnson Controls;
• Lillianna Garibaldi, CMMS analyst, Rosauers Supermarkets, Inc.; 
• Aleisha Khan, executive director, refrigerant emissions elimination forum, (REEF); 
• Blain Meek, general manager, farmer, AgriNorthwest;
• Ruth Ivory-Moore, senior director of governance, Hudson Technologies;
• Beth Porter, senior climate policy analyst, Environmental Investigation Agency; 
• Samantha Slater, senior vice president of government affairs, AHRI;
• Zachary Smith, The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) Local #32
• Alexander Thorson, director of refrigeration engineering, Key Mechancial; Refrigeration Committee Chair, ASHRAE
• Todd Titus, director of state government affairs, HARDI;
• Helen Walter-Terrioni, director of policy and advocacy, Trane Technologies;
• Jeremy Arling, senior fellow, Super-pollutants, Natural Resources Defence Council; and
• Dan Young, fire marshal, Kittitas County.

Auxiliary Task Force Members:

• Maureen Beatty, EVP, National Refrigerants, Inc.;
• Jim Dominik, managing member, Polaris Public Safety Solutions;
• Nick Manning, senior energy policy specialist, Washington Department of Commerce;
• Ken Morgan, performance builder and utility specialist, Gensco Inc.; director, Washington Air Conditioning Contractors Association; and
• Heather Trim, executive director, Zero Waste Washington.

The task force's recommendations will help inform Washington lawmakers as they consider potential refrigerant policy during the 2028 legislative session.