The Energy Department’s plan to revoke 47 energy and water efficiency standards for appliances may lead to higher running costs for households.
Energy Department's Rollback of Appliance Standards Raises Concerns
Energy Department's Rollback of Appliance Standards Raises Concerns
Repeal of energy-efficiency regulations could drastically increase consumer costs, experts warn.
The Energy Department announced on May 12, 2025, its intention to roll back 47 key regulations aimed at conserving energy and water for a variety of household appliances. This decision follows an executive order from President Trump advocating for the removal of what he called restrictive regulations that purportedly hinder efficiency in products.
Critics, including energy-efficiency experts and climate advocates, have expressed alarm over these proposed changes, arguing they could significantly elevate consumer costs regarding everyday appliances. Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, stressed that this move would mean a market inundated with less efficient and more costly products, which he claims could lead to excessive expenses for families trying to manage utilities.
DeLaski further pointed out the legal implications of this rollback, asserting it violates an existing anti-backsliding provision. This provision, rooted in longstanding federal law, aims to prevent the lowering of standards already in place, effectively making such rollbacks illegal.
For years, the U.S., along with numerous other nations, has established standards to govern the energy and water consumption of appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and lightbulbs. The proposed repeals have sparked a significant debate on the balance between cost-efficiency and environmental protection, a conversation likely to influence the American consumer landscape in the near future.
Critics, including energy-efficiency experts and climate advocates, have expressed alarm over these proposed changes, arguing they could significantly elevate consumer costs regarding everyday appliances. Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, stressed that this move would mean a market inundated with less efficient and more costly products, which he claims could lead to excessive expenses for families trying to manage utilities.
DeLaski further pointed out the legal implications of this rollback, asserting it violates an existing anti-backsliding provision. This provision, rooted in longstanding federal law, aims to prevent the lowering of standards already in place, effectively making such rollbacks illegal.
For years, the U.S., along with numerous other nations, has established standards to govern the energy and water consumption of appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and lightbulbs. The proposed repeals have sparked a significant debate on the balance between cost-efficiency and environmental protection, a conversation likely to influence the American consumer landscape in the near future.
