WASHINGTON, DC — The Department of Energy announced today a decision to roll back rules that would have required lightbulbs to be more efficient, a decision that could cost consumers up to $100/year per household starting in 2025, according to estimates by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
David Friedman, Vice President of Advocacy for Consumer Reports, and a former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary (2015-17) for the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said today, “This is, excuse the pun, a dim decision. This administration’s latest rollback will reduce consumer choice and increase utility bills.”
Mr. Friedman testified before Congress earlier this year in support of keeping the current rules, which help reduce the nation’s energy costs. Appliance and equipment efficiency standards directly save Americans billions of dollars each year and help avoid the construction of costly new power plants. This decision by the administration will also likely encounter several lawsuits.
“Sadly, decisions that leave American consumers footing the bill are all too common these days. From proposed rollbacks on fuel economy standards that will cost consumers more than $460 billion, to rollbacks on predatory loan protections and net neutrality, the scales are being tipped more and more against everyday Americans,” adds Friedman.
You can learn more about energy and cost-savings lightbulbs on the Department of Energy’s own website.
You can see Consumer Reports testimony about the importance of energy-saving lightbulbs and appliances by clicking here.
Media Contact: Adam Winer, Adam.Winer@Consumer.org, (202) 462-6262 x7444
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