If I were a climate change fanatic, I wouldn’t stop at anything to cut carbon. This explains a lot about the Department of Energy’s proposed rules on energy efficiency for ceiling fans.
Yes, ceiling fans. The DOE announced the exciting news this past week that consumers would save between $28 and $39 over the life of a ceiling fan on energy costs.
Meanwhile, Republicans on the Small Business Committee are questioning the wisdom of rules that will save consumers pennies a year but very well might cost thousands of jobs as some small ceiling fan manufacturers are likely to go out of business. They sent a letter to Jennifer Granholm inquiring about the new regulations.
“It is important for agencies to examine small businesses interests—which make up 99.9 percent of all businesses in the United States—when passing any new rule. America’s small businesses deserve to have their voices heard and considered,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers argued that the rule would require numerous small business fan manufacturers to redesign their products, potentially putting 10%-30% of these businesses out of business.
The letter lists out a series of questions to the DOE, requesting information on additional costs to businesses complying with the rule, alternative solutions to the proposed policy, impact calculations, and whether or not certain businesses will go out of business because of the rule.
The DOE’s rule, which was proposed in June but whose public comment period ended on Monday, would require ceiling fans to be more energy efficient, reasoning that the move could save households anywhere between $28 to $39 over the lifespan of a new fan. However, the estimated increased equipment costs are expected to be $86.6 million per year.
DOE defended the new regs in a statement to Fox Business on Friday, saying, “These proposed standards, which are required by Congress, wouldn’t take effect until 2028, would give Americans more energy efficient options to choose from, and would save hardworking taxpayers up to $369 million per year, while substantially reducing harmful air pollution — a crucial fact that some have conveniently failed to mention.”
There’s nothing “convenient” about trading a few cents savings per year per ceiling fan for the loss of thousands of jobs. That’s a “crucial fact” that the dullards at DOE “conveniently failed to mention.”
Related: Federal Judge Delivers Big Win to the Premium Cigar Industry
The DOE has proposed new standards for gas stoves, ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, and other household appliances in recent months in a maniacal effort to cut a few cents from our electric bills. Even combined, the savings amount to far less than other actions the government could take — like deregulating parts of the electric industry that are overburdened with rules. That action would save far more than the government’s single-minded desire to regulate every aspect of our lives.
And if saving the planet from climate change is that important, why isn’t the Biden administration doing more to force China to stop polluting the planet with massive amounts of CO2? Why not demand that China not build 300 coal-fired electricity-generating plants over the next couple of years?
Preventing China from building even a few dozen of those coal-powered electric plants would do far more to save the planet than all the new rules regarding home appliances the DOE has been trying to impose on us.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member