Schatz, Senators Call On Trump Administration To Protect ENERGY STAR Program That Lowers Energy Costs

HONOLULU — U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) joined a group of his colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to immediately reverse course on its plan to illegally and unilaterally terminate the ENERGY STAR program. In their letter, the Senators highlight the cost-saving benefits of the program, which is projected to save the average American household $450 on utility bills each year simply by choosing ENERGY STAR certified products. 

“The Trump administration’s plan to get rid of ENERGY STAR will make it harder for Hawai‘i families and small businesses to lower their energy costs,” said Senator Schatz. “This makes no economic or environmental sense, and the administration should reverse course immediately.”

Hawai‘i households face the highest electricity rates in the nation. The proposed dismantling of the ENERGY STAR program would be a serious setback to the state’s efforts to cut energy costs because it helps consumers determine which products are eligible for the state energy rebate program. In the last fiscal year alone, Hawai‘i Energy issued more than 16,000 residential rebates for ENERGY STAR products—reducing electricity bills by an estimated $72 million. And in 2024, 230 small businesses and nonprofits that received ENERGY STAR products through Hawai‘i Energy’s EmPOWER grant are expected to save over $1 million.

Administered by the EPA and Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR is a voluntary, market-based program that has saved consumers billions of dollars annually. The ENERGY STAR program has cumulatively reduced four billion metric tons of harmful emissions and currently supports more than 790,000 American jobs manufacturing and installing ENERGY STAR products. 

The full letter can be found below and is available here.

Dear Administrator Zeldin and Secretary Wright,

For over three decades, the ENERGY STAR program has lowered Americans’ energy bills by informing consumers about energy efficient products. The program has enjoyed bipartisan support since its creation under authority of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, most recently receiving $35.7 million in fiscal year 2025 appropriations. Reporting has indicated, however, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to eliminate ENERGY STAR without Congressional approval. Not only is the program protected under federal statute and thus illegal for the Administration to terminate unilaterally, but this decision also lacks basic economic sense. We write to urge you to immediately reverse course.

ENERGY STAR is a voluntary, market-based program that has saved consumers billions of dollars annually. The average American household is projected to save $450 on utility bills each year simply by choosing ENERGY STAR certified products. Since 1992, the program has reduced energy costs for American families and businesses by $500 billion, including $42 billion worth of savings in 2020 alone. All told, for every federal dollar spent on ENERGY STAR, Americans have enjoyed $350 in savings. This does not account for the broader economic and environmental benefits of the program, which has cumulatively reduced 4 billion metric tons of harmful emissions and currently supports more than 790,000 American jobs manufacturing and installing ENERGY STAR products. Additionally, housing developers and homebuilders appreciate ENERGY STAR because it communicates better performance to prospective homebuyers. Housing certified by the ENERGY STAR standard represents homes built to the highest standards, with lower energy bills that help make housing more affordable.

ENERGY STAR is the epitome of an effective public-private partnership. As the program’s administrators, EPA and the Department of Energy set qualifying energy efficiency standards for products. EPA also protects the integrity of the ENERGY STAR brand, ensuring it remains well-known, trusted, and indicative of a quality product. Appliance manufacturers then voluntarily display the ENERGY STAR label, notifying consumers that a product will reduce their energy consumption and lower utility bills. The program strengthens consumer choice by sharing critical product information.

Eliminating the ENERGY STAR program will not only raise energy costs for American families and businesses, but also inflict far-reaching economic harms, threatening industry jobs and the reliability of the grid at a time of growing demand. We again urge you to immediately reconsider eliminating this popular and effective Congressionally authorized program.

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