You would think the administration that launched the Department of Government Efficiency (despite how ineffective it has been) would be a big fan of improved efficacy in all areas. But Donald Trump keeps trying to kill any law that sets efficiency requirements for water and energy usage. His latest effort came Friday, when he signed a presidential memorandum calling the Department of Energy to “consider using all lawful authority to rescind” or weaken water and energy standards and signed measures to end Biden-era energy efficiency regulations.
Trump signed four separate measures, approved as part of the Congressional Review Act, that set regulations on gas water heaters and walk-in coolers and freezers, commercial freezers, and other consumer appliances. Per the Department of Energy, those standards reduced the energy usage of water heaters by 13% and saved consumers a cumulative $3.1 billion and saved commercial facilities $4.6 billion on utility bills from cooler and freezer usage.
As for the memorandum, it’ll push the DOE to look for any “water pressure or related energy efficiency laws” that it believes should be eliminated, with the standard being that the government shouldn’t “impose or enforce regulations that make taxpayers’ lives worse.” That’s a pretty squishy guidance, but it’s clear in the eyes of the administration that additional water pressure is more important than cutting back on energy bills.
It takes particular aim at energy-efficient washing machines, which the administration claims cost “at least $100 more” than less efficient models, and dishwashers, which it claims that new regulations make cleaning cycles take twice as long as they did for pre-standards models. The document the administration appears to rely on to back the claim that washing machines get more expensive with higher standards does say that there is a higher purchase price, but it also concludes that the lifetime savings of the machine are significantly more than that initial higher price tag.
Trump has been on something of a roll when it comes to energy and water usage, which probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise from a guy who seems to be obsessed with shower water pressure and toilet flushes. Last month, he killed a rule setting a maximum flow rate on shower heads. Earlier this week, he also announced that the EnergyStar program, which certifies energy-efficient appliances and saves consumers $450 per year on average, will be shuttered. But hey, now you can blast yourself with scalding hot water to your heart’s content and pay more for it.