Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm regarding the Department’s recent announcements to push for the adoption of expensive new energy codes. Rather than improve people’s lives and the environment, this latest rush-to-green policy is being implemented by the Biden administration to appease its radical environmental allies and will only increase housing prices and utility bills for millions of American.

BACKGROUND:

• On September 19, 2023, DOE announced a $400 million program to implement new building energy codes. 
• On December 18, 2023, DOE announced another new $530 million program to implement new building energy codes. 
• The Biden administration has repeatedly advanced efforts to impose burdensome energy efficiency standards that would raise costs for Americans. 
• “Zero energy” building codes, which the grants may support, would force buildings to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in favor of more expensive, but less reliable electric options.

KEY EXCERPTS:

“In the U.S., building codes are predominately and appropriately regulated by State and local jurisdictions – not the Federal government. In recent years, activist environmental groups have begun pressuring international organizations, Federal agencies, States, and local jurisdictions to develop and enforce 'model' building energy codes that mandate expensive, one-sized-fits-all construction requirements and restrict fuel choices, even when it is not technologically feasible or cost-effective for the homeowner or tenant. 

“State and local governments should not be forced to adopt international energy codes that set efficiency requirements, ban the use of natural gas, or require expensive electrification retrofits for appliances and electric vehicle charging. We are concerned that the DOE’s building codes grant programs will exacerbate the current housing affordability crisis and limit energy choices for the American people by encouraging the adoption of such one-sized-fits-all building codes that are not appropriate or cost-effective for all income levels and regions of the country.”

CLICK HERE to read the full letter.