A federal appeals court ruled against President Biden’s Department of Energy (DOE) for reversing Trump-era rules aimed at making dishwashers and laundry machines more efficient.
The court found the DOE’s actions “arbitrary and capricious” and lacking statutory authority.
The ruling highlighted concerns that the reversal could lead to increased energy and water use. (Trending: GOP Rep. Mace Clashes Directly With Hunter Biden At Hearing)
Statement from Attorney General Liz Murrill on the Fifth Circuit victory against the Biden Administration's Department of Energy. pic.twitter.com/jp0y2IEQnv
— Attorney General Liz Murrill (@AGLizMurrill) January 9, 2024
Judge Andrew Oldham wrote, “it is unclear that the DOE has any statutory authority to regulate water use in dishwashers and clothes washers.”
“Even if DOE could consider dishwashers’ and clothes washers’ efficiency in both energy use and water use, the 2020 Rules likely promoted greater efficiency in both categories than the Repeal Rule,” he continued.
“Assuming both energy conservation metrics are on the table, the States argue, and DOE does not appear to dispute, that one important aspect of that problem is whether appliance regulations actually reduce energy and water consumption,” explained Oldham.
The DOE previously created a class for dishwashers “with a cycle time for the normal cycle of one hour or less from washing through drying.”
The DOE claimed existing regulations “were counterproductive to the goal of increasing energy efficiency of dishwashers as many consumers end up running their dishwasher multiple times to get dishes clean.”
The Fifth Circuit ruled that undoing Trump’s de-regulations would “make Americans use more energy and more water for the simple reason that purportedly ‘energy efficient’ appliances do not work.”
“So Americans who want clean dishes or clothes may use more energy and more water to pre-clean, re-clean, or hand-wash their stuff before, after, or in lieu of using DOE-regulated appliances,” wrote the DOE.
The judges said the DOE, “failed to adequately consider appliance performance, substitution effects, and the ample record evidence that DOE’s conservation standards are causing Americans to use more energy and water rather than less.”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and others celebrated the ruling, criticizing the Biden administration’s approach as detrimental to consumers.
Murrill said, “It’s not ‘energy efficient to have to wash your dishes and clothes twice (for hours). The Biden Administration’s dishwasher rule saved neither energy nor water.”
“For families- moms, dads, and kids who do laundry and dishes, this is a big win! We want appliances that work. I’ll keep fighting these irrational attacks on families and consumers by bureaucrats in D.C.,” she continued.
Will Hild, executive director for Consumers’ Research, wrote, “The 5th Circuit’s ruling is a vindication of everything we’ve been saying about the Biden administration’s anti-consumer choice agenda. Their supposed ‘green’ regulations weren’t about saving the environment, they were about restricting options and telling Americans how to live.”
“Using their ESG agenda as an excuse, they’ve passed restrictions on everything from gas stoves to dishwashers to clothes dryers. These would be ruinous for Americans if allowed to stand. We are proud to be part of the fight to keep Biden’s intrusive government out of our kitchens and laundry rooms,” he continued.
Marc Morano, executive editor and founder of Climate Depot for a Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), said the ruling “revealed legal sanity in the battle to stop the climate-based policy misery on the American people.”
“The federal courts have finally recognized the Biden administration’s appliance energy restrictions for what they are — a complete bypassing of democracy through the unelected regulatory state,” he continued.
“The court also recognizes that zapping energy and water out of major home appliances may not actually save energy in the end, due to the appliances’ crappier performance. The court revealed legal sanity in the battle to stop the climate-based policy misery on the American people,” Morano added.
The decision reflects ongoing battles over appliance regulations and the broader climate change agenda.
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