Trade groups tell Congress: Don’t touch Energy Star

Following recent reports that the Energy Star program could be shut down or privatized, over 30 trade groups this week sent a message to Congress: Leave it alone.

What’s happening: “Energy Star is an excellent example of a non-regulatory partnership between the government and private sector,” the groups, including AHRI, wrote in a Wednesday letter to lawmakers. 

• “We respectfully request that Energy Star not be supplanted by non-governmental efforts that could significantly alter and overly complicate the program,” they added. 

The backstory: In early May, an EPA director informed employees that the agency is planning to shutter the division that oversees Energy Star, as part of a broader restructuring, according to a recording obtained by the New York Times. 

• But, but, but: Just two weeks later, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin signaled a possible change of direction, telling a group of lawmakers it could be privatized instead.
• “Multiple entities” had reached out about taking it over, he said. 

Why it matters: Energy Star operates on an annual budget of between $30 and $40 million and saves U.S. households $40 billion a year in energy costs — “a significant return on investment,” the letter states. 

Zoom out: This week’s effort comes nearly three months after a group of HVAC manufacturers and associations, also including AHRI, signed onto a similar letter, cautioning Zeldin against nixing Energy Star. 

• “[I]t is likely that, should the program be eliminated, it will be supplanted by initiatives that drive results counter to the goals of this administration, such as decreased features, functionality, performance, or increased costs,” they wrote. 

What to watch: Despite the reports, the EPA hasn’t actually issued a formal, public proposal to shut the program down, and Zeldin hasn’t clarified which entities have reached out about possibly privatizing it. 

• “Energy Star… has received overwhelmingly bipartisan support down the years… [It] reduces Americans’ energy bills, a clear priority across party lines,” the groups added on Wednesday.