DOE Declares Appliance Regs DOA

Looks to end efficiency standards across multiple categories

By Alan Wolf, YSN 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed reducing or eliminating decades of efficiency and design standards for washers, dishwashers, ranges, ovens, cooktops, microwave ovens and room air conditioners. 

The move, announced last week, is part of a broader rollback of 47 water and energy conservation regulations that also affect air cleaners, dehumidifiers, compressors, faucets and other product categories. 

The DOE described the federal rules as “burdensome and costly,” and said rescinding them will save Americans some $11 billion while improving their quality of life. 

Related: EPA Unplugs Energy Star 

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are bringing back common sense — slashing regulations meant to appease Green New Deal fantasies, restrict consumer choice and increase costs for the American people,” said Energy Secretary Chris Wright. 

Scientists Differ

But according to a January report by the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. conservation standards saved the nation 1.7 trillion gallons of water and 6 quadrillion BTUs of energy last year alone, cutting operating costs for the average household by $576. 

The DOE’s deregulatory effort follows a series of executive orders and memorandums by Trump, in which he argued that efficiency standards render appliances like washers and dishwashers “less useful, more breakable and more expensive to repair.” He specifically cited a $100 premium on the price of ultra-efficient washers and an extended two-plus-hour cycle for dishwashers due to recent regulations. 

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the industry’s leading trade group, has indicated its support for changes to DOE standards that it says limit consumer choice. In a position statement, the organization lauded federal regulations that “helped achieve decades of successful improvements in appliance efficiency. “However,” it continued, “with most appliances operating near peak efficiency, additional meaningful savings are unlikely for some products without sacrificing the features, performance and full product selection that appliance owners desire.” 

The DOE rollbacks, however, would dramatically increase costs for households and businesses, argues the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), which represents utility companies, state governments and consumer and environmental groups. Moreover, the attempted revisions are “patently illegal,” said Andrew deLaski, the group’s executive director, who cited federal law and a federal appeals court ruling that ostensibly open the way for legal challenges to the DOE initiatives. 

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