Release: Bill to set appliance energy efficiency standards passes PA House, moves to state Senate

Legislation would set energy efficiency requirements for 15 appliances sold in PA, predicted to reduce climate pollution by 384,000 tons, save consumers $294M each year

HARRISBURG —  State House Reps. Jennifer O’Mara (D-Delaware County) and Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin County)’s House Bill 1615 passed the Pennsylvania House with bipartisan support Tuesday. If signed into law, the bill would set minimum appliance efficiency standards for a set of 15 household and commercial appliances and plumbing fixtures sold new in the commonwealth.  

If enacted, these standards are projected to save Pennsylvania  residents and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and cut climate pollution by hundreds of thousands of tons annually. 

“After six years of working on this legislation, I am thrilled that House Bill 1615 has finally passed the House,” said State Rep. Jennifer O’Mara. “Establishing energy efficiency standards is an effortless way we can reduce the carbon footprint of Pennsylvanians without having to make radical changes to their daily lives.” 

“The cleanest, cheapest energy is the energy that you don’t need to use in the first place. That’s why energy efficiency standards are such a smart policy option,” said Flora Cardoni, PennEnvironment’s Field Director. “Small but mighty, appliance efficiency standards are a simple way to reduce energy consumption, lower pollution, and generate huge savings for Pennsylvania consumers and businesses.” 

By 2030, the benefits from the efficiency standards in HB1615 would include:  

• Save enough energy in one year to power over 56,000 homes.
• Reduce annual carbon emissions by 384,000 metric tons annually, equivalent to the global warming pollution from over 85,000 gasoline powered cars driven for a year.
• Save 9.6 billion gallons of water annually, as much as used by nearly 178,000 Pennsylvania homes each year.
• Reduce consumer utility bills by nearly $300 million annually, with savings of up to $600 million per year by 2040. 

“Seemingly every family in central Pennsylvania is struggling with higher-than-average utility bills that are devastating their home budgets,” said Representative Tom Mehaffie. “Appliances with greatly increased efficiency can help our households use less energy overall, which can reduce those bills and ease the stress on families.”

HB1615 had more than 50 House cosponsors from across the state. It now moves to the state Senate. 

“Allegheny County residents are currently facing utility rate increase proposals from Duquesne Light, Columbia Gas, and Peoples Gas. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority was just granted a rate increase in January,” said Senator Lindsey Williams, the lead sponsor of HB 1615’s companion language in the state Senate (SB 755). “When Pennsylvanians replace their appliances, they should expect those new models to be efficient enough to significantly reduce their gas, electric, and water usage while also reducing the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.”

The legislation has been supported by over 30 environmental and consumer organizations, including the Sierra Club, PA and Pennsylvania Utility Law Project.

“It makes no sense for us to continue using energy-wasting technologies when we can replace them with clean, efficient appliances that lower emissions, improve public health and lower utility bills,” said Cardoni. “Let’s make sure Pennsylvania is a part of the movement to embrace products that protect our planet and our pocketbooks.” 

We ask the senate to take up and approve this legislation swiftly, and send it to the Governor’s desk for passage.

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PennEnvironment works for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate. Our members across the state put grassroots support behind our research and advocacy. For more information about our work, visit www.PennEnvironment.org.  PennEnvironment is part of Environment America, a national network of 29 state environmental groups.