JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced today that his office and eleven other states have filed the opening brief in their lawsuit against the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and its Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, for repealing the “Performance Rules” that set successful options for energy and water efficiency standards for dishwashers and laundry machines.
“This is a prime example of the administrative state acting with too much power. The Department of Energy shouldn’t be able to dictate what laundry machines people buy, and they really shouldn’t enact such insane emissions standards that Missourians have to run their dishwashers twice,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “I’ve been committed to fighting unelected bureaucrats within the administrative state from the start, and I’ll continue to dismantle the system that blatantly attempts to encroach on Missourians’ daily lives.”
The Performance Rules created new classes of appliances with a new performance feature (faster cycle times), in response to dishwashers and laundry machines failing to clean dishes and clothes adequately the first time in order to achieve desired energy and water efficiency, and the DOE’s conclusion that a “lower standard” of efficiency was justified. The new Repeal Rule removes this option of classes of efficiency.
In addition to Missouri, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah filed suit.
The lawsuit can be read here: https://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/dishwashers-state-opening-br-filed.pdf?sfvrsn=405c5dfd_2