STATES, CONSUMER GROUPS SUE DOE OVER APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

Fifteen states along with environmental and consumer groups filed suit against the Department of Energy (DOE) early this month over the department's failure to conduct mandatory upgrades of efficiency standards for 22 appliances, after they say DOE repeatedly promised to accelerate its appliance efficiency program but never did. The groups have been pressing DOE since 2001 to update the standards, as Congress mandated in the Energy Policy Conservation Act. They have met with former Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and current...