The Rundown
- Department of Energy continues the Trump administration’s campaign against water conservation by attempting to repeal appliance standards.
- EPA seeks to relax standards for PFAS in drinking water.
- EPA proposes handing off oversight authority to Arizona for underground injection wells and to North Dakota for coal ash disposal.
- NOAA scientists contribute to a study showing that drought makes heat waves longer.
And lastly, DOE will hold a public webinar on May 29 to explain its intent to relax conservation standards.
“Unless a regulatory standard is required by statute, the Secretary proposes eliminating that requirement. DOE’s new policy would support energy and water abundance, allowing Americans to produce and consume as much energy and water as they desire.” – The Department of Energy’s reasoning for why it wants to repeal 47 energy and water conservation standards. The statement is part of several Federal Register notices announcing the attempt to relax standards for microwave ovens, commercial clothes washers, residential dishwashers, and other appliances.
By the Numbers
47: Energy and water conservation standards the Department of Energy is attempting to roll back.
News Briefs
PFAS Reconsideration
The EPA announced it will maintain Biden-era standards for two PFAS in drinking water. But the agency is seeking to remove limits on four others that would be regulated in combination.
Standards for PFOA and PFOS, the two most-studied of the thousands of PFAS compounds, will be kept. But it does not want to regulate PFBS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (aka GenX).
The agency says it wants to reduce costs for water utilities and their ratepayers. This is also the view of the water utility industry, which filed a lawsuit last year to overturn the rules.
The EPA proposal would also extend the compliance deadline for the rules left intact. Utilities would have an additional two years, until 2031, to reduce PFOA and PFOS below the federal standard.
Campaign against Water Conservation
The Department of Energy announced it would attempt to relax or repeal 47 energy and water conservation standards in the name of its “abundance” agenda.
The water standards targeted in the announcement extend to residential and commercial clothes washers, residential dishwashers, and faucets. The list also includes a previously announced roll back of showerhead efficiency rules.
Many of the appliances have conservation standards that were initially set in law and then strengthened by the DOE in subsequent rulemakings. Regular dishwashers, for instance, had a 6.5-gallon-per-cycle maximum that was then reduced to 3.3 gallons per cycle. DOE wants to reinstate the original, less strict standard.
The DOE also claims that the rules are not “economically justified.”
“Consumers are best situated to decide whether a given product is economically justified, as that is precisely what the free market does best,” the DOE states.
The notice for repeal in the Federal Register contains factual errors. To wit: “Water use has nothing to do with the energy consumed by a clothes washer,” the department says.
Water and energy, in fact, are connected. Energy is needed to move and heat water. More water use means more energy for heating.
Water Bills in Congress
Two bills on water infrastructure funding were introduced in Congress.
- Democrats in the House and Senate introduced the WATER Act to establish a $35 billion annual trust fund for water and sewer infrastructure. A version of the act has been introduced since 2016.
- A bipartisan bill introduced in both chambers would clarify eligibility for WIFIA loans, a program that provides low-interest financing for regionally important water infrastructure.
State Permitting Authority
The EPA is proposing to transfer permitting and oversight authority to Arizona for underground injection wells, and to North Dakota for coal ash disposal. State agencies would take over duties now handled by the federal agency. Arizona’s new authority would not extend to tribal lands.
Studies and Reports
How Drought Interacts with Heat
Do droughts make heat waves worse?
Yes, in some ways. That’s one of the findings from a study with contributions from NOAA scientists.
When drought coincided with heat waves it lengthened them by 13 to 50 percent. Its effect on intensity was more varied.
In humid areas of the eastern U.S., droughts reduced the intensity of heat waves, as measured by the heat index. The drier air allowed for more evaporation of soil moisture, which had a cooling effect, like the earth sweating.
In general, the study argues for more consideration of soil moisture when assessing heat wave impacts.
On the Radar
Congressional Budget Hearings
House and Senate committees will discuss the EPA’s 2026 budget this week.
First up is the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, on May 20.
The next day, it is the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ turn.
Critical Minerals Hearing
The House Energy and Commerce Committee returns on May 21 with a hearing on critical minerals.
DOE Water and Energy Conservation Public Meeting
On May 29, the department will hold a public webinar to explain its proposal to roll back water and energy conservation standards.
The department says the registration details will be available here, but they are not yet posted.
Federal Water Tap is a weekly digest spotting trends in U.S. government water policy. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.