WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Alliance to Save Energy released the following statement from President Kateri Callahan regarding a House Appropriations bill report that was to be taken up yesterday that would slash the budget for the Energy Star program by approximately 40 percent:
“We appreciate that the committee has rejected the administration’s proposal to eliminate Energy Star, but a 40 percent cut would be crippling as well. I have to wonder where this is coming from. Energy Star is one of the most popular government programs in U.S. history and has enjoyed broad bipartisan support since it was created under President George H.W. Bush. More than 90 percent of Americans know the Energy Star brand and nearly half have an Energy Star-rated appliance in their home. Meanwhile 16,000 companies have voluntarily signed up to participate in it. That is a model of success, and we should build on that success with full funding.”
The House Appropriations Committee released its report Monday on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, showing a roughly 40 percent cut to the EPA’s Energy Star program, lowering funding to $31 million.
Program Created in 1992
Energy Star was created in 1992 under President George H. W. Bush’s administration and has maintained strong bipartisan support for more than 25 years. More than 16,000 companies and other organizations participate. The program delivered $34 billion in savings to American households and businesses in 2015 alone.
The Energy Star label has household brand recognition of more than 90 percent, and its products have better customer satisfaction ratings than non- Energy Star products. Almost half of all American households knowingly purchased an Energy Star product from 2014 to 2015.
Due its success, Energy Star has expanded from appliances and electronics to residential homes, commercial buildings and even manufacturing plants. Certified Energy Star homes, commercial buildings and industrial plants have saved almost $13 billion in energy costs through the program.
Energy Star by the numbers:
- American households and businesses saved $430 billion on utility bills since 1992.
- 2.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been avoided since 1992.
- Americans purchased over 300 million Energy Star certified products in 2015 across more than 70 product categories, for a cumulative total exceeding 5.5 billion products.
- Americans have saved $4.50 in lower utility bills for every $1 invested in energy efficiency through Energy Star products.
