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US Rolls Back Appliance Efficiency Mandates in Deregulatory Push

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The US Department of Energy on Thursday proposed changes aimed at permanently ending what it described as appliance efficiency mandates, advancing an agenda to ease regulatory standards on products ranging from air conditioners and refrigerators to washing machines and water heaters.

The proposal, issued as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, would revise the department's "process rule" that sets energy conservation standards for covered home appliances and equipment.

The department said that the changes are intended to preserve consumer choice and reduce costs, aligning with the Trump administration's broader deregulation agenda.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the current framework had, in his view, restricted consumer options and increased household costs.

The DOE said the revised approach would ensure future energy efficiency standards place greater emphasis on affordability, transparency and regulatory review, while avoiding what it described as overly prescriptive mandates.

The changes follow the direction of President Trump and are consistent with the administration's deregulation agenda, including the executive order that unleashed prosperity through deregulation.

The department said it will accept public comments on the proposed rule for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, and has also opened a separate 60-day request for information on methodologies used to develop appliance efficiency standards.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to remove regulatory burdens, the DOE said, arguing that these have contributed to higher consumer prices and reduced choice.

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Commodities

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Commodities

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