The Biden administration quietly dropped a regulatory bombshell one day after Christmas that could leave millions out in the cold.
In a controversial move, the Department of Energy (DOE) finalized sweeping new climate regulations that would drastically raise prices on gas-powered water heaters.
Industry experts and lawmakers are blasting the decision as ‘reckless,’ ‘tone-deaf,’ and catastrophic for households grappling with inflation and rising energy costs.
Unlike past announcements of similar magnitude, the DOE made no public fanfare about this far-reaching regulation.
The Biden Administration delivered no press releases or public briefings – just a quiet publication in the federal register.
Critics argue that the lack of transparency is indicative of a broader trend from the White House to push through green agenda without public scrutiny.
Trump has vowed to roll back a host of the climate regulations issued under Biden in an effort to boost energy production and drive economic growth.
Under the new rules, efficiency requirements for tankless water heaters will increase to levels that effectively ban all non-condensing models – a category that currently makes up 40 percent of the market.