FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
November 12, 2014 Mary Beth Hutchins, 202-400-2721
DOE Follows the Rules After HARDI’s Strong Stand Against Overreach
COLUMBUS, OHIO – Because of a settlement between the Department of Energy (DOE), the Heating, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) and other stakeholders, DOE reissued a Request for Information (RFI) on energy efficiency standards for residential central air conditioners and gas furnaces on October 31, 2014. DOE’s RFI, published in the Federal Register, seeks public comment on its authority to develop energy efficiency standards through a “Direct Final Rule.”
Thanks to the government oversight and accountability group Cause of Action, HARDI was able to effectively halt administrative abuse by forcing the DOE to reassess its rulemaking. DOE arbitrarily attempted to set a rule driving up energy costs for consumers and businesses without following proper procedures to protect the public’s right to have input and comment. This settlement requires DOE to respect the rule of law and is a significant victory for consumers and businesses.
HARDI Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer Talbot Gee said, “We have said from the start that we believed the processes which led to this rule, litigation and settlement were broken. We were pleased to have secured a commitment from DOE to assess this issue and are pleased that HARDI’s comments on the matter are a key component of the request and hopefully the basis for fixing this broken process.”
Cause of Action’s Executive Director Dan Epstein said, “When federal agencies substitute their own agendas for the rules protecting the public’s right to have notice and to comment on proposed regulatory action, then government accountability and transparency are lost. Therefore, this notice, the first step by the DOE since HARDI’s successful settlement, is a major victory for all Americans who value fair government. HARDI’s members took a firm stand, and it has paid off for both consumers and for businesses.”
About HARDI:
Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) represents more than 460 wholesale companies and 300 manufacturing associates as well as nearly 140 manufacturer representatives. HARDI members represent an estimated 85 percent of the dollar value of the HVACR products sold through distribution.
About Cause of Action:
Cause of Action a nonprofit, nonpartisan government accountability organization that investigates, exposes, and fights job-killing federal government regulations, waste, fraud, and cronyism. Cause of Action uses investigative, legal, and communications tools to educate the public on how transparency and accountability protects taxpayer interests and economic opportunity. For more information, visit www.causeofaction.org.
To schedule an interview with Cause of Action’s Executive Director Dan Epstein, contact Mary Beth Hutchins, mary.beth.hutchins@causeofaction.org
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