Reminder to Mark Your Calendar:  The BECS Committee to hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday,  January 10, 2024 from 11 am to 3 pm EST. Details for registration and the TEAMS meeting invite will be coming soon.

AGA CEOs Sign Energy Star Letter to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan Supporting the Continued Inclusion of Natural Gas Appliances in the ENERGY STAR Program.

As we reported back in May, the EPA announced its intent to that “Consistent with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) focus on the potential for electric heat pumps to deliver energy-efficiency gains, pollution reduction and cost-savings to consumers, the ENERGY STAR program is proposing to sunset the certification pathway to the ENERGY STAR label for residential furnaces and central air conditioners (CACs). This will allow EPA to evolve the ENERGY STAR portfolio of product specifications toward identifying the most efficient electric equipment now available to consumers.”    Later in June, the EPA announced that it would be also sunsetting the ENERGY STAR program for residential natural gas boilers. AGA has submitted comments in opposition for this proposal from EPA arguing that there are many benefits for retaining the ENERGY STAR program for consumers, promoting energy efficiency program including those from gas utilities and as part of encouraging ENERGY STAR natural gas products as part of energy building codes. Thus far, EPA has not responded to our comments objecting to the sunsetting proposal.  To help assure that EPA staff recognizes the importance of retaining the ENERGY STAR program for natural gas appliances and equipment, attached is the December 20, 2023 letter from AGA CEOs to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan requesting that “ the pending proposals to sunset certain natural gas products from ENERGY STAR be formally withdrawn and that EPA reiterate the importance of efficient natural gas appliances to the ENERGY STAR program.” We will provide EPA’s response when available.

Update on the Biden Administrations Use of Defense Production Act to Fund Electric Heat Pumps.
The November 17, 2023 AGA Press Release (attached) expressed deep concern with the Biden’s Administrations use of the Defense Production Act to promote electric heat pumps.  The Press Release states that “We are deeply disappointed to see the Defense Production Act, which is intended as a vital tool for advancing national security against serious outside threats, being used as an instrument to advance a policy agenda contradictory to our nation’s strong energy position. This week,  the US House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC), on behalf of subcommittee Republicans, sent a letter (attached) to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm raising concerns that the DOE and President Biden are using a wartime statute to funnel Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) subsidies for electric heat pumps. Attached is the December 20, 2023 Press Release from Energy and Commerce that includes the  letter to DOE Secretary Granholm requesting a response to the questions in the letter by January 5, 2024.

State Codes Activity Update.

Attached is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards. Please review the update and determine if there are state code activities that impact your service territory or organization.