DOE unveils largest deregulatory effort in department history
The Department of Energy announced the first step in what it calls the largest deregulatory effort in the department’s history, proposing the elimination or reduction of 47 regulations.
Officials say the move is intended to lower costs and improve quality of life for Americans.
Once finalized, the measures are projected to save the public an estimated $11 billion and remove more than 125,000 words from the Code of Federal Regulations. The actions are in line with President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Zero-Based Regulation to Unleash American Energy.”
“While it would normally take years for the Department of Energy to remove just a handful of regulations, the Trump Administration assembled a team working around the clock to reduce costs and deliver results for the American people in just over 110 days,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said.
The proposal includes eliminating or modifying numerous appliance standards, energy production regulations, and DEI-related grant requirements.
A full list of the 47 deregulatory actions includes:
- Rescinding requirements for exempt external power supplies under the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014
- Streamlining administrative procedures with respect to the import and export of natural gas
- Streamlining application for presidential permit authorizing the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of facilities for transmission of electric energy at international boundaries
- Rescinding collection of information under the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974
- Rescinding regulations for loans for minority business enterprises seeking DOE contracts and assistance
- Streamlining applications for authorization to transmit electric energy to a foreign country
- Rescinding the production incentives for cellulosic biofuels
- Rescinding reporting requirements, certification, independent verification, and DOE review for voluntary greenhouse gas reporting
- Rescinding the grant programs for schools and hospitals and buildings owned by units of local government and public care institutions
- Rescinding the renewable energy production incentive
- Streamlining the procedures for acquisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
- Rescinding energy conservation standards for automatic commercial ice makers
- Rescinding energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray valves
- Rescinding the energy conservation standards for microwave ovens
- Rescinding the water use standards for faucets
- Rescinding energy conservation standards for external power supplies
- Rescinding in part the amended energy conservation standards for dehumidifiers
- Rescinding the amended design requirements for conventional cooking tops
- Rescinding the amended design requirements for conventional ovens
- Rescinding the amended water conservation standards for commercial clothes washers
- Rescinding the amended water use standards for residential clothes washers
- Rescinding the amended water use standards for residential dishwashers
- Rescinding the efficiency standards for battery chargers
- Rescinding the efficiency standards for compact residential clothes washers
- Rescinding floodplains and wetlands environmental review requirements
- Ending requirements for members of one sex to be able to try out for sports teams of the opposite sex
- Rescinding new construction requirements related to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities
- Rescinding obsolete financial assistance rules
- Rescinding obsolete transfer of proceedings regulations
- Rescinding regulations related to nondiscrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance
- Rescinding regulations related to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities (general provisions)
- Rescinding regulations related to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities (nondiscrimination on the basis of age)
- Rescinding unnecessary regulation encouraging alternative dispute resolution
- Withdrawing air cleaners as a covered consumer product
- Withdrawing compressors as a covered equipment
- Withdrawing miscellaneous refrigeration products as a covered consumer product
- Withdrawing portable air conditioners as a covered consumer product
- Withdrawal of fans and blowers as covered equipment
- Rescinding test procedures for small electric motors
- Rescinding test procedures for commercial warm air furnaces
- Rescinding unnecessary ADR regulations for DOE contractor employee protection program
- Request for information on lowering the efficiency standards for furnace fans
- Notice rescinding 10 unlawful and burdensome guidance documents
- Rescinding the definition of showerhead to unleash better shower pressure
- Withdrawing portable electric spas as a covered product
- Withdrawing miscellaneous gas products as a covered product
- Delaying compliance date for federal agencies to meet the Clean Energy Federal Building Rule