The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as originally enacted in 1975. It has grown into an invaluable platform for market transformation and promotion of energy-efficient home appliances in the United States. This law helps ensure that the products it covers will deliver meaningful energy and water efficiency benefits. Recent actions by the Trump administration threaten to dismantle these standards, leaving homeowners uncertain about the future of energy-efficient appliances.
Former President Donald Trump railed against modern dishwashers, washing machines, light bulbs, showerheads and toilets. He is consistently adamant that government, in particular regulatory burden, has made them less effective while simultaneously increasing their cost. Relatedly, we know the administration is striving to remove or change federal regulatory burdens, including ones created under EPCA. Now that this is happening, consumer protection advocates and appliance manufacturers alike are bracing for lawsuits. The Appliance Standards Awareness Project, a coalition of environmental and consumer organizations, utilities, and state governments, has voiced support for maintaining robust energy-efficient standards.
Background of EPCA
The EPCA was originally passed in the 1970s to encourage energy conservation across the U.S., by establishing national, mandatory energy efficiency standards for household appliances. Over the years, it has undergone eight rounds of reviews, updates, and revisions to ensure that it keeps pace with technological advancements. With each iteration, DOE has sought to make appliances perform better and do less harm to the environment.
In 2004, a landmark case, NRDC v. Abraham, upheld the provisions of EPCA, reinforcing the law’s importance in promoting energy efficiency. In March, Consumer Reports fielded a national survey. Outcomes The findings indicated that a whopping 87% of respondents support energy-efficient appliance standards! Such sentiment exemplifies why EPCA and its companion Energy Star program have been extremely well-received by consumers.
Despite this support, the Trump administration’s recent announcement on May 12 regarding plans to eliminate or modify 47 federal regulations raises concerns about the future of these standards. Legal experts caution that bypassing familiar processes laid out by the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) leads to arbitrary and capricious decision-making. Such decisions would likely be found illegal in federal courts.
Industry Response and Concerns
AHAM has long sought to weaken the EPCA standards. They think these changes need to be forward-looking, accounting for rapid changes in technology rather than grinding along on the every-six-years, by-law-ordained review cycle. Jill Notini, AHAM’s vice president of communications, highlighted the industry’s progress in energy efficiency, stating, “Our industry needs it after looking at our products and how far they have come in terms of energy efficiency and water use.”
Notini further emphasized that we must aim for high-performance products. At the same time, we need to match the pace of regulatory demands with our technology and understanding. “So there needs to be a recognition that we can’t stay on this path and continue to ratchet up standards and expect high-performing products,” she explained. This concern is echoed by countless others in the industry who are concerned about having their industry upended by regulators’ actions.
“If you start to dismantle the energy-efficiency programs, American households are going to pay for that,” – Jason Reott, ASE’s senior manager of policy.
It’s a concern that is widespread. Worst of all, they fear that rolling back energy efficiency programs will increase costs on consumers just as unexpected energy bills are strangling families with uncertainty and despair.
Legal Challenges Ahead
Though the administration’s interpretation does have some attractive superficialities to it, it is likely to be met with overwhelming legal challenges. Environmental advocates and state attorneys general are sounding the alarm. They caution that whatever policymakers or bureaucrats do to go around APA processes will simply result in litigation to challenge the legality of those actions.
“Once a DOE standard has been updated and published in the Federal Register, you can’t go backward,” – deLaski.
These legal disputes have the potential to leave consumers and manufacturers in the dark for years to come. John I. Taylor remarked on the complex nature of deregulation efforts: “Generally deregulation is good for business, but there are some specific things in EPCA that are beneficial to American consumers and the American economy.”
As further legal developments play out, people from every sector involved are keeping a watchful eye on this case. Environmental advocates are pressing for the agency to issue strong energy efficiency standards. These standards provide tangible savings for consumers, all while contributing to a healthier environment.
Consumer Sentiment
Consumer sentiment continues to be strongly in favor of energy-efficient appliances. Consumers support these standards. Consumers see these standards as a basic minimum for lowering household energy bills and protecting the environment. Scot Case pointed out that consumers have always favored voluntary environmental standard-setting initiatives such as EnergyStar.
“Consumers have said overwhelmingly that they support voluntary environmental standard-setting programs like Energy Star,” – Scot Case.
This support comes at a critical time. Millions of homes and schools across the country are looking to save money without sacrificing quality or performance. As uncertainty looms over potential regulatory changes, homeowners may feel anxious about how these decisions will impact their daily lives.