Attorney General Tong Urges Department of Energy to Move Forward with Energy Efficiency Standards

Press Releases

03/14/2025

Attorney General Tong Urges Department of Energy to Move Forward with Energy Efficiency Standards

(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of eight attorneys general and the City of New York today, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in submitting two comment letters to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) urging the department to allow energy efficiency standards for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters and walk-in coolers and freezers to take effect. Last month, DOE issued rules delaying the effective date of these standards and signaled that it is considering following its initial delay with further delays of the Biden Administration’s energy efficiency standards for these products. In today’s comment letters, the coalition highlights how the delays are not only unlawful, but would have harmful consequences for consumers, businesses, and the environment.

“Connecticut families and small businesses pay way too much for energy right now. No one can afford to waste money on inefficient and outdated appliances. Obsolete equipment is bad for consumers and bad for clean air and our climate. The Department of Energy needs to do its job, follow the law, and issue standards to save us all from needless waste of energy,” said Attorney General Tong.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued the “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” memorandum, which ordered all federal departments and agencies to consider postponing for 60 days the effective date of certain rules published in the Federal Register for the purpose of reviewing any questions of fact, law, and policy that the rules may raise, and to consider opening a comment period to allow interested parties to provide comments about issues of fact, law, and policy raised by the rules postponed under the memorandum.

Citing that memorandum, on February 20, 2025, DOE published two rules that delayed the effective dates of energy efficiency standards for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters and walk-in coolers and freezers. The two delay rules push back the effective dates for both rules from March 11, 2025, and February 21, 2025, respectively, to March 21, 2025.

In the comment letters, the coalition highlights that:

• Without efficiency improvements, businesses and consumers will continue using outdated, energy-wasting equipment, leading to higher electricity and gas costs over time. DOE has projected that the energy efficiency standards will provide nearly $1 trillion in consumer savings over 30 years, and $3.1 billion (gas-fired instantaneous water heaters) and $6.5 billion (walk-in coolers and freezers) over 30 years of product sales.
• Inefficient walk-in coolers and water heaters burn more fossil fuels, contributing to climate change and worsening air quality. DOE estimated that the energy efficiency standards will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons or more—an amount roughly equivalent to the emissions of 18 million gas-powered cars, 22 coal-fired power plants, or 10.5 million homes over 30 years.
• The delays for the two-consumer product energy efficiency standards are in violation of the Energy Policy Conservation Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Joining Attorney General Tong and Attorney General Bonta in sending the comment letters are the attorneys general of Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, Vermont and the City of New York.

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Media Contact:

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