U.S. President Donald Trump has signed four Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions rescinding appliance energy efficiency regulations enacted during the final days of the Biden administration.

The rescinded rules included standards for tankless natural gas water heaters, commercial refrigerators and freezers, and walk-in coolers. A fourth resolution removed certification requirements for a broad range of products subject to energy efficiency guidelines, though it did not alter the efficiency thresholds themselves.

Introduced under the 1996 Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, the CRA enables Congress to overturn federal agency rules within a set timeframe.

Critics, including Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), warned that repealing these regulations could increase costs for consumers and businesses. ASAP projected the now-rescinded water heater standard would have saved households an average of $112 over the product’s lifespan. Meanwhile, businesses could have saved up to $11 billion combined from refrigeration and cooler efficiency standards over the next 30 years.

In defense of the rollbacks, President Trump emphasized that the regulations limited consumer choice and placed an undue burden on businesses. “It’s all about common sense,” he said during the signing.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who sponsored the resolution on gas water heaters, stated the Biden-era rules knowingly raised consumer costs and restricted product options.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also reportedly plans to end its Energy Star program, further signaling the administration’s intent to reduce federal oversight in the energy efficiency space.

Source: utilitydive.com