EPA to eliminate money-saving Energy Star appliance program

David Matthews, New York Daily News on May 7, 2025

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The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency is planning to eliminate the money-saving Energy Star appliance program.

The program — which began in 1992 under Republican President George H.W. Bush — called for some appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines to meet certain energy efficiency standards. Americans have used less energy and saved more than $500 billion on bills as a result of the program.

The EPA told CBS News it was “delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency’s core mission,” but didn’t specifically mention the Energy Star program.

“Trump claimed he’d lower prices on Day 1, but by eliminating this program, he will force Americans to buy appliances that cost more to run and waste more energy,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told the outlet.

“It’s yet another giveaway to polluters and a raw deal for working families,” he added. “This isn’t economic policy, it’s economic sabotage — sabotaging family budgets to pay off fossil fuel donors.”

Trump attempted to end the Energy Star program during his first term but received pushback from manufacturers and lawmakers.

CNN reported the end of the program is part of a wider purge of the EPA, which will be closing several of its climate change divisions.

“For just $32 million a year, Energy Star helps American families save over $40 billion in annual energy costs,” Paula Glover, president of the nonprofit coalition Alliance to Save Energy, told CNN. “That’s a return of $350 for every federal dollar invested.”

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