The EPA is backing away from plans to shut down Energy Star. (NYT)
Administrator Lee Zeldin is reportedly reconsidering the move after fierce resistance from business groups, manufacturers, and even Republicans, who argued the label saves consumers money and boosts sales.
By the numbers: The program costs $32M a year to operate and helps cut US energy bills by $40B annually, making it one of the government’s most cost-effective climate initiatives.
Officials are now weighing options to shift oversight to DOE or require appliance makers to share the costs—a sharp reversal for an administration that previously branded the program as part of the “green new scam.”