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Pallone & Rush Applaud Biden Administration Proposal on Efficiency Standards for Home Furnaces

June 13, 2022

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed new energy-efficiency standards for residential gas furnaces that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas pollution and save consumers billions of dollars annually on their energy bills:

"This proposal is a smart, commonsense way to reduce energy costs for American families and we applaud the Biden Administration for taking every action possible to lower home energy bills. By updating these efficiency standards, Americans not only stand to save more than $1.9 billion every year, but also stand to benefit from substantial cuts to dangerous greenhouse gas pollution that puts an enormous burden on both our climate and public health. This is a giant leap toward more affordable energy and cleaner, safer air for all."

Under today's proposed rule, non-weatherized gas furnaces and those used in mobile homes would be required to achieve an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 95 percent. These efficiency improvements would save consumers $1.9 billion annually and, over 30 years, reduce carbon emissions 373 million metric tons and methane emissions by 5.1 million tons — the equivalent of what 61 million homes emit annually.

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