Bill Seeks Changes to DOE Appliance Efficiency Program

A new bill in Congress could change how the government sets efficiency rules for furnaces, water heaters, and dozens of other household appliances. Sen. Mike Lee introduced the Energy Efficiency Reform Act of 2026 this month, aiming to overhaul the Department of Energy's Appliance Standards Program, which sets energy-use rules for about 60 household and commercial products under a law last updated in 2007.

The bill would make several changes. It would lock in a "Process Rule" that governs how DOE decides whether new efficiency standards are practical and worth the cost, requiring DOE to finalize a version proposed in July 2026 within 270 days. It would also drop the current requirement that DOE review appliance standards every six years, though people could still petition for changes under stricter evidence rules. And it would add new steps DOE must follow before creating new "classes" of products, a process that can affect which features or fuel types are available to buy.

The bill would also strengthen federal authority over states, blocking state laws that ban appliances based on fuel type or emissions, or that set their own standards when there is no current federal one. Supporters, including the American Gas Association, say the changes would keep options like natural gas furnaces and water heaters available and prevent efficiency rules from driving up costs. The bill has not become law yet, so nothing changes for homeowners immediately, but it could affect which appliances are sold and how efficiency standards are set in years ahead.