A Democratic senator is pressing the White House to finalize a set of energy efficiency standards, warning that not doing so before President-elect Trump takes office could leave emissions and consumer savings on the table.
In a letter Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, which oversees federal regulations, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called on the office to “expeditiously review and approve” 10 pending efficiency standards.
She pointed to an analysis from the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, which advocates for tighter efficiency rules, finding that current regulations only get the administration 85 percent of the way to the emissions reduction goal it has set for energy efficiency standards.
“The administration still has the opportunity to meet the emissions reduction goal and provide enduring energy savings for businesses and consumers by finalizing the energy efficiency standards for commercial and industrial fans, motors, battery chargers, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers and other equipment pending before OMB,” she wrote.
The Hill has reached out to OMB for comment.
In a separate statement to The Hill, Shaheen said, “By approving these remaining standards, we have a real opportunity to lower energy costs across the board while mitigating the worsening effects of climate change. It’s time for OMB to get this across the finish line.”
In recent years, efficiency standards for household appliances have become somewhat controversial, as Republicans expressed outrage over potential regulations on gas stoves in particular. The Biden administration has separately issued updated standards for both gas and electric stoves, but significantly watered down the gas stove standard amid political furor.
