President Joe Biden’s administration is cracking down on another popular home device.
Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding energy conservation standards for ceiling fans. If adopted, the new “energy efficiency” standards would apply to all standard ceiling fans, hugger ceiling fans, large-diameter ceiling fans and high-speed belt-driven ceiling fans.
Biden’s Energy Department will accept comments, data and information on the proposed rule no later than August 21.
“DOE has tentatively concluded that the proposed standards represent the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy,” the department said.
The proposed rule comes as part of the Biden administration’s “climate change” agenda.
“2023 began with federal regulators targeting gas stoves, but we have since seen a host of other proposals going after washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, ceiling fans, water heaters, and others. They are all part of the Biden administration’s prioritization of the climate change agenda over the interests of consumers. Each runs the risk of boosting appliance prices, limiting choice, and compromising performance,” said Ben Lieberman, Senior Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute. “And cumulatively, they add up to substantial headaches for homeowners that will only grow in the years ahead.”
“The Biden appliance agenda isn’t just an assault on homeowners, it’s also an assault on our freedoms,” he added.
According to a July press release, another DOE proposed rule would “require the most common-sized electric water heaters to achieve efficiency gains with heat pump technology and gas-fired instantaneous water heaters to achieve efficiency gains through condensing technology.”
Although the DOE claims the administration’s proposed water heater standards would “accelerate deployment” of water heaters with electric heat pumps, critics told Fox news that the proposal would eliminate cheaper gas heater alternatives.
Last year, former White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy bragged about establishing 100 rules on appliances in 2022 alone.
“We are developing partnerships on how we work together for new building standards, even for sustainable airlines,” she continued. “[Who would have thought] that [the airlines] would be all in, but they better be or they’re going to be out of here.”
