HARRISBURG, PA — Federal energy and water efficiency standards have sharply reduced air pollution and saved Pennsylvania households tens of billions of dollars over the past decade, according to a new analysis released as Congress considers rolling back those requirements.
The study, conducted by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project and released by the environmental advocacy group PennEnvironment, estimates that efficiency standards saved Pennsylvanians $33.3 billion in reduced utility costs while significantly cutting health-harming pollution. The full analysis is available at https://appliance-standards.org/existing-efficiency-standards-lower-energy-bills.
The findings arrive as the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to take up legislation that would make it easier for a presidential administration to weaken existing standards and more difficult to adopt new ones. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Energy has proposed revoking efficiency standards for 17 products.
“Efficiency standards help us breathe easier. Saving energy reduces pollution, saves money, and saves lives,” said Flora Cardoni, deputy director of PennEnvironment. “As this data shows, these standards help Pennsylvanian households do more with less energy. Congress shouldn’t be threatening them.”
According to the analysis, Pennsylvania’s electricity consumption would be about 15 percent higher today without federal efficiency standards. The standards have also reduced nitrogen oxide pollution in the state by an estimated 3,826 tons, a significant drop in emissions linked to asthma attacks, heart disease, and premature death.
On the household level, the report estimates that the average Pennsylvania household would have spent about $6,357 more on utility bills over the past 10 years without the standards in place.
The analysis also highlights the potential impact of pending state legislation. Energy efficiency standards approved earlier this week by the Pennsylvania House could reduce consumer utility bills by an estimated $291 million annually by 2035 and generate roughly $7.7 billion in cumulative savings by 2050. If approved by the state Senate, House Bill 660 would also cut carbon emissions by about 269,000 metric tons per year by 2035, the equivalent of removing nearly 63,000 vehicles from the road annually.
Nationally, energy use trends point to the impact of long-term efficiency policies. A Frontier Group analysis of Energy Information Administration data found that the average American household used more than 25 percent less energy in 2020 than it did in 1993.
“The energy savings we’ve experienced over the past 30 years show how commonsense policies can make our lives better,” Cardoni said. “Legislators at the state and federal level should embrace these standards and continue the progress we’ve made in protecting Pennsylvanians’ health and environment.”
PennEnvironment advocates for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife protection, and climate action across the state and is part of Environment America, a national network of state-based environmental groups. More information is available at www.PennEnvironment.org.
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