Reuters and other news organizations are reporting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to end Energy Star, a program whose iconic blue labels have certified the energy efficiency of home appliances for more than three decades, as part of its broader reorganization.
The proposed end of the popular program would come as part of the dissolution of the EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Protection (OAP) and the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards – presented as part of the agency reorganization announcement.
The plans to close the popular Energy Star program, first reported by CNN and the Washington Post, came after an OAP staff meeting on Monday.
The EPA has declined to comment specifically on Energy Star but released a statement saying, “EPA is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people.”
In March, nearly three dozen trade industry groups and appliance companies including the Chamber of Commerce, Bosch, Carrier and the Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin urging him not to end Energy Star because it was a good “non-regulatory” collaboration between the private sector and federal government.
“Eliminating it will not serve the American people. In fact, because the ENERGY STAR brand is highly recognizable to consumers, it is likely that, should the program be eliminated, it will be supplanted by initiatives that drive results counter to the goals of this administration such as decreased features, functionality, performance, or increased costs,” the letter said.
In a letter sent by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) dated April 11, more than a thousand signatories – including AGA Imports LLC, Broan-Nutone, LG Electronics, Lutron Electronics, Miele, Samsung Electronics America and True Manufacturing, Co. – expressed concern about the proposed cuts at the EPA, as well as to research and science programs across government agencies that support long-term data collection, technological innovation, weather forecasting and other core functions.
“The ENERGY STAR program alone delivers billions of dollars in energy cost savings to U.S. consumers and businesses every year on a budget of just $32 million,” said Elizabeth Beardsley, senior policy counsel USGBC. “Thousands of product manufacturers, utilities, real estate companies, and local governments rely on the program to create value, adopt energy efficiency practices, and manage energy use; shuttering it would only cause confusion and raise costs.”
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) released a statement, saying, “AHAM supports the continuation of a streamlined ENERGY STAR program which could be managed through the Department of Energy. Moving the program to DOE would meet the administration’s goals of preserving a full selection of products from which consumers can choose, and reducing unnecessary regulatory burden.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
