AG James’ Statement on Intent to Sue Trump Administration Over Failure to Update Energy Efficiency Standards

NEW YORK – Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement announcing she is leading a 17-member coalition in sending a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Trump Department of Energy (DOE) for ignoring its legal responsibility to update energy efficiency standards:   

“Updated energy efficiency standards for commercial and household products would provide tremendous benefits for the environment and for consumers’ wallets,” said Attorney General James. “The Trump Administration is demonstrating its continued disregard for public health and the wellbeing of our communities by refusing to update these standards. My office is committed to taking legal action to force the DOE to comply with the rule of law — enough is enough.”  

Attorney General Letitia James led a multistate coalition in sending a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) for failing to meet statutory deadlines for the review and amendment of energy efficiency standards for 25 categories of consumer, commercial, and industrial products. These include widely-used products such as washers and dryers, refrigerators and freezers, air conditioners, dishwashers, and microwave ovens. DOE’s failure to honor their legal responsibilities will have adverse effects on both the environment and consumers’ wallets.  

The benefits associated with updated standards for just 4 common appliances — refrigerators and freezers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, and room air conditioners — include annual reductions of more than $7.5 billion in consumer utility costs and 22 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2035.

Given the magnitude of these consequences, the coalition finds it necessary to send this 60-day notice.   

Joining Attorney General James in sending the notice are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia, and the Corporation Council of New York City.