AGA applauds introduction of EPCA reform bill to preserve consumer choice in appliances, prevent undue cost burdens for American families and businesses

WASHINGTON - The American Gas Association applauds U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Mike Lee's (R-UT) introduction of the Energy Efficiency Reform Act of 2026, vital legislation to reform the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to preserve the law's original intent and remove rules that limit consumer access to popular and affordable natural gas products.

"For too long, EPCA has been manipulated to force changes that raise costs and eliminate options for cooking, clothes drying and heating. Chairman Lee's Energy Efficiency Reform Act rolls back harmful standards that would cut off access to natural gas furnaces and water heaters while ensuring future efficiency standards focus on saving energy and money rather than playing politics and eliminating consumer choice," said AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert. "Retaining access to natural gas appliances for Americans has always been about protecting affordability, consumer choice and the ability of Americans to use the energy systems that work best for their homes and families. Americans deserve affordable choices when it comes to the appliances in their homes and businesses."

AGA and the natural gas utility industry have long supported improved energy efficiency through appliance standards that are technically feasible and economically justified. Under prior administrations, the U.S. Department of Energy shifted the appliance standards rulemaking process away from the plain meaning of EPCA. That departure from EPCA's intent led to rules that proposed to eliminate essential appliances and product features from the market and would raise the cost burden on American families and businesses by forcing costly renovations or retrofits with little demonstrated environmental gain. AGA welcomes EPCA reform that supports energy efficiency and conservation efforts, while ensuring American's have access to appliances that work best in their homes and business.

Affordability is top of mind for American households. Annual residential natural gas bills remain remarkably stable over time, even when adjusted for inflation. The average natural gas bill is 15% lower today than in 2022, and inflation-adjusted average natural gas bills could be 25% lower than in 2022 by the end of next year according to DOE forecast of natural gas prices and use.

Natural gas appliances save households an average of $1,030 per year compared to electricity when used for heating, cooking and clothes drying and have saved businesses more than $655 billion over the last decade. Efficient natural gas appliances are also expected to cut home greenhouse gas emissions up to 40% by 2040.

Removing natural gas appliances from the market, including the most popular type of residential furnace and popular commercial water heaters, would force costly renovations and increase prices faced by Americans at home and across the economy.

Read more about the Energy Efficiency Reform Act here.