WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has today issued an enforcement policy statement regarding non-weatherized gas furnace standards while the regional standards lawsuit is still pending, indicating that DOE will not enforce the standards.
On Jan. 11, 2013, DOE and the American Public Gas Association (APGA) filed a joint motion asking the court to enter an agreement to settle APGA’s challenge to DOE’s regional energy efficiency standard for residential furnaces. The settlement agreement would, among other things, vacate the energy efficiency standards applicable to non-weatherized gas furnaces, which have an upcoming compliance date of May 1, 2013.
The statement said, “In an exercise of its enforcement discretion, DOE will, during the pendency of the litigation, act in a manner consistent with the terms of the settlement agreement with regard to the enforcement of the standards.”
This means that DOE would act as if the non-weatherized gas furnace standards were vacated and would not enforce them.
