Press Releases and Statements

Back to Library

APGA Applauds Senate Effort to Modernize Federal Appliance Efficiency Law 

3 hours ago

For Immediate Release 
Contact: Josh St.Pierre 

202-470-4562 

jstpierre@apga.org 
 

APGA Applauds Senate Effort to Modernize Federal Appliance Efficiency Law

Washington, D.C. (August 6, 2026) –  Today, the American Public Gas Association (APGA), representing more than 700 publicly and community-owned natural gas utilities, applauds Chairman Mike Lee (R-UT) of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for introducing legislation to modernize the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) and restore affordability and consumer choice to the federal appliance efficiency standards process. 

Congress established the federal appliance standards program through EPCA in 1975 to promote energy efficiency while preserving consumer access to useful and affordable products and appliances. Over time, however, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) appliance efficiency program has significantly strayed from Congress’s original intent, resulting in standards that have eliminated certain product offerings from the U.S. marketplace or imposed costly retrofit requirements on consumers. At a time when many Americans are facing higher housing and energy costs, preserving consumer choice and supporting affordability are more important than ever. This is an important step to restoring Congress’s original vision for the appliance efficiency standards program.   
 
“APGA thanks Chairman Mike Lee of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for introducing legislation that will enable a modernized and practical standards process,” said APGA President & CEO Dave Schryver. “At a time when families are already confronting the rising cost of living, federal efficiency standards should deliver real and meaningful savings; not eliminate affordable products from the market, nor impose costly, unnecessary home renovations.”  
 
APGA supports clarifying DOE’s critical role to establish or update nationwide efficiency standards only when those standards are truly technologically feasible, economically justified, and capable of producing meaningful savings for consumers. These proposed reforms would help ensure that the standards process accounts for the full costs imposed on households and protects access to appliances with the features, performance, and fuel sources that consumers value. 
 
“Energy efficiency and consumer choice are not competing goals,” Schryver continued. “Well-designed and implemented standards conserve energy and reduce household expenses without forcing families and business owners to sacrifice affordability and performance.” 
 
APGA is committed to working with all members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to advance this legislation through the Senate and to ensuring that the final product strengthens energy efficiency while preserving the market of affordable natural gas appliances that millions of Americans rely on every day in their homes and businesses. 

Statistics
0 Favorited
2 Views
1 Files
0 Shares
0 Downloads
Attachment(s)
docx file
APGA Press Release Senate EPCA Reform.docx   20 KB   1 version
Uploaded - 08-06-2026
 
Download

Related Entries and Links

No Related Resource entered.