DOE Rescinds Certification and Labeling Provisions for Consumer Products and Commercial Equipment
The Department of Energy has issued a final rule rescinding and amending certification provisions, labeling requirements and enforcement provisions for specific types of consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment that were part of a final rule published Oct. 9, 2024, it said in a Federal Register notice.
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DOE said that the October final rule "has no force or effect," so the agency "has a nondiscretionary duty to remove the associated provisions" from federal regulatory code. The notice said the October 2024 final rule was the subject of a February 2025 joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act, and with both houses of Congress passing the resolution and the president signing it May 9, it became new law. The new final rule, effective Sept. 9, is DOE's "necessary action to effect such rescission."
This change may apply to the following products: certain central air conditioners and heat pumps, dishwashers, residential clothes washers, pool heaters, dehumidifiers, external power supplies, battery chargers, computer room air conditioners, direct-expansion dedicated outdoor air systems; air-cooled, three-phase, small commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity of less than 65,000 Btu/h and air-cooled, three-phase variable refrigerant flow air conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity of less than 65,000 Btu/h; commercial water heating equipment, automatic commercial ice makers, walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers; commercial and industrial pumps, portable air conditioners, compressors, dedicated-purpose pool pump motors, air cleaners, single package vertical units; and ceiling fan light kits.
For products or equipment for which this rule establishes the initial certification regulations for certifying compliance with new or amended standards, the October 2024 final rule required manufacturers to submit the initial certification report for basic models distributed in commerce beginning May 7, 2025, DOE said. For basic models with existing certification regulations, the October 2024 final rule’s amendments to the reporting requirements for certifying compliance with existing standards were mandatory beginning with the annual certification report submitted on or after May 7, the agency continued.
DOE also said it is reinstating a previously approved incorporation of an industry standard under the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers for household electric dishwashers.