Donald Trump takes aim at more water and energy efficiency standards

Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum Friday afternoon directing the Division of Vitality to “think about using all lawful authority to rescind” or weaken laws for water and vitality effectivity for dishwashers and washing machines. The motion additionally contains water use requirements for showers, taps, bathrooms, and urinals.

It closes out per week of assaults on insurance policies meant to save lots of People cash by incentivizing producers to make merchandise that save water and vitality. Earlier within the week, CNN and E&E News reported that the Trump administration would shutter the Energy Star program as a part of a “reorganization” deliberate on the Environmental Safety Company.

Vitality Star certifies merchandise for vitality effectivity, permitting shoppers to decide on essentially the most energy-efficient house home equipment by recognizing the recognizable blue Vitality Star label. The foundations President Trump is concentrating on now are literally shopper protections, meant to make sure that any buyer should buy one thing that meets cheap effectivity requirements.

A White House fact sheet says the Secretary of Vitality ought to work with the Workplace of Legislative Affairs to make suggestions to Congress on any water strain “or associated vitality effectivity legal guidelines” that ought to vary or be repealed altogether.

It additionally says the Secretary of Vitality ought to pause enforcement of the foundations talked about within the memorandum till they’re rescinded or revised. “The Federal Authorities shouldn’t impose or implement laws that make taxpayers’ lives worse,” the presidential memorandum says.

“It’ll solely increase prices for shoppers to do away with these requirements, if they do away with these requirements,” says Andrew deLaski, government director of the Equipment Requirements Consciousness Challenge. “Congress enacted these legal guidelines, the president can’t simply resolve that they’re going to go away.” deLaski additionally notes that whereas the White Home says it needs to do away with “ineffective water strain requirements,” the foundations talked about within the memorandum really goal effectivity requirements since water strain will depend on the plumbing system linked to the machine.

Replace, Could tenth: This story has been up to date with extra details about water strain from Andrew deLaski.