https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5286201-trump-energy-star-climate-change-epa/
by Rachel Frazin
Excerpt:
The Trump administration is cutting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program, which highlights energy efficient home appliances, an agency source told The Hill on Tuesday.
According to the source, at a meeting Monday, staffers were told that Energy Star was being eliminated, as is the Climate Protection Partnerships division that houses it.
Staffers were also told that the EPA was cutting its Climate Change division, which includes the agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. This program requires major polluters to report their planet-warming emissions.
The plans were first reported by CNN.
In a statement to The Hill, the EPA noted that it had announced a broad reorganization on Friday.
“With this action, EPA is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency’s core mission, while Powering the Great American Comeback,” said an agency spokesperson in an email.
The news comes after the Trump administration indicated in its skinny budget that it wanted to cut funding from the Office of Atmospheric Protection, which includes Energy Star and the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.
The president has also lamented pushes toward more energy efficient appliances. Much of his criticism, however, has focused on regulations rather than programs such as Energy Star, which is a voluntary partnership.
Under the program, companies that meet energy efficiency specifications can display the Energy Star logo to inform consumers that the government considers their product to be efficient.
The move to cut the program is getting significant pushback.
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Related:
EPA’s Energy Star won’t recommend any gas appliances on its next ‘most efficient’ list
Time To Repeal Energy Star, The EPA’s Brand Of Fake ‘Energy Efficiency’ – February 12, 2017
