Trump Plans Illegal Attack on Consumer Transparency with Anticipated Elimination of ENERGY STAR

Washington, DC - According to reports, Donald Trump is expected to announce a plan to eliminate ENERGY STAR, a popular and historically bipartisan program that helps consumers make informed decisions about their home appliances in order to lower risks of exposure to harmful pollutants and save money on their energy bills.

According to ENERGY STAR, the program has helped American families and businesses "save 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs, and achieve 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions reductions" since it began in 1992.

In reaction, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director for Clean Energy and Electrification Xavier Boatright released the following statement:

"For an administration who keeps claiming the country is facing an 'energy emergency,' Trump continues to attack any and all efforts aimed at saving energy through efficiency. From rolling back standards that ensure even the most basic appliances meet an adequate level of energy efficiency to what would be a blatantly illegal attempt to eliminate ENERGY STAR, a program that educates consumers about products that save energy and thus would lower their energy bills. The American people deserve to be able to make informed decisions with unbiased, vetted information. When we waste energy through inefficient appliances the fossil fuel industry uses it as an excuse to extract and sell more of its product to make more money on the backs of the American people. It's a cycle Trump wants to keep us in to benefit his wealthy campaign donors regardless of the consequences for the average American."

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.