California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general to urge the United States Department of Energy (DOE) not to proceed with proposed changes to water and energy efficiency standards. These changes, suggested by the DOE last month, would affect consumer appliances and commercial equipment. The coalition argues that such rollbacks would be unlawful, increase utility costs for consumers and businesses, and exacerbate climate change through increased greenhouse gas emissions.
“As energy costs reach historic highs, the President continues to break his promise to Americans of ‘driving costs down’ on Day One. Not only are these rules unlawful, but they will also drive up energy costs for business and consumers and harm our environment,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Alongside attorneys general nationwide, we strongly urge the Department of Energy to refrain from adopting these rollbacks and maintain the current common-sense water and energy efficiency standards.”
The DOE’s proposal follows an executive order from President Trump titled “Zero-Based Regulations to Unleash American Energy.” This order aims to weaken efficiency standards by either rescinding amended standards or removing products from coverage under the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA). If enacted, these actions could violate several laws including the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and EPCA’s anti-backsliding provision.
The coalition’s comment letters emphasize that existing standards have historically led to significant savings in water and energy. They warn that rolling back these standards would lead to higher energy costs for businesses and consumers while significantly contributing to climate change.
Attorney General Bonta is joined in this effort by attorneys general from Maryland, New York, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington as well as representatives from the City of New York.
Copies of the 16 comment letters are available for public access.
