Trump administration rolls back climate rules in energy freedom reversal

By willowt // 2025-05-14

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The Trump administration repealed over 100 energy efficiency rules, including restrictions on gas stoves, water usage and appliance standards, reversing Biden’s climate agenda and eliminating over 125,000 words of federal regulations.
The DOE estimates the deregulation will save households over $11 billion by removing efficiency mandates, though critics warn it could increase energy consumption and climate impacts.
The removal of gas stove restrictions became symbolic of the policy shift, following backlash against Biden’s attempt to phase them out. Critics framed the move as government overreach, while Trump’s DOE championed consumer choice.
The rollback reflects a broader conservative stance favoring free markets over climate mandates, with supporters (like Sen. Ted Cruz) calling it pro-consumer and opponents (like environmental groups) warning of higher costs and emissions.
The deregulation signals a shift from federal climate action to state/local leadership, reigniting debates over energy affordability, government authority and environmental priorities. Energy Secretary Chris Wright framed it as a victory for consumer freedom over bureaucratic control.

In a stark reversal of former President Joe Biden’s climate agenda, the Trump administration on Monday removed dozens of energy efficiency regulations targeting household appliances, water systems and industrial equipment, saving consumers over $11 billion and undoing the Biden era’s push to electrify the economy. The Department of Energy (DOE) under Secretary Chris Wright scrapped rules that would have restricted sales of gas stoves, dryers and other appliances, arguing the regulations infringed on consumer freedom and hiked costs. The action, including the removal of more than 125,000 words from federal codes, is part of a broader strategy to prioritize free markets over climate mandates, marking a historic reduction in regulatory oversight.

No more "Green New Deal" fantasies: The regulatory rollback unveiled

The DOE’s action removes over 100 regulations, including rules banning certain gas stoves, limiting water use in dishwashers and shower heads and mandating efficiency upgrades for appliances like dehumidifiers. The changes heed complaints from manufacturers and conservatives that Biden-era rules imposed costly, unnecessary requirements. Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the move, stating, “It shouldn’t be the government’s place to forbid appliances consumers want.” The administration also streamlined natural gas import/export regulations and delayed environmental building standards, with Wright praising President Trump’s directive to “slap down” federal overreach “meant to restrict choice.” Economically, officials argue the rollback will cut consumer costs: Eliminating appliance efficiency standards alone will save households over $11 billion, according to DOE estimates. Critics, however, warn higher energy usage could exacerbate climate impacts.

The gas stove uproar: A symbol of regime change on climate policy

The decision to remove gas stove restrictions highlights the political stakes of the shift. In 2023, Biden regulators sought to phase out cheaper, less-efficient gas ranges, igniting a backlash when then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm admitted she used a gas stove. Despite the outcry, Biden finalized the rule, making it a target for Trump’s deregulatory campaign. “If you have the audacity to regulate people’s kitchens, you become the villain,” quipped Ben Lieberman of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, noting the gas stove backlash was a “teachable moment on government overreach.” The DOE now embraces this sentiment, crediting the anti-regulation stance to “common sense” and “letting markets work.” Granholm’s climate push, which relied on partnerships with liberal foundations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, aimed to reduce synthetic refrigerant emissions and push electrification. But Trump’s retreat underscores a core conservative narrative: Federal climate policies, framed as “elitist,” disproportionately burden average Americans.

A new climate divide: Markets vs. mandates

The rollback mirrors broader Trump policies, such as ending the Energy Star program and opposing federal carbon limits. While Biden framed energy efficiency as both economic and ecologic—the gas stove rule, for instance, promised to cut emissions — the administration’s approach often clashed with consumer preferences. Environmental advocates decried Monday’s action, with Andrew deLaski of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project calling the cuts to commercial fridge and water heater standards shortsighted: “Raising costs for families and worsening emissions.” Yet supporters, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, hailed the changes as a victory against “anti-consumer” rules. The dissent reflects long-standing ideological divides: Is energy efficiency a win-win for the environment and wallets, or a government frivolity that stifles affordability?

The energy battle ahead: Costs, freedom and carbon face off

As Trump axes climate regulations, the debate over federal energy authority intensifies. The administration’s focus on deregulation and cheaper living costs aligns with its base but risks straining U.S. climate commitments. Meanwhile, environmental groups face a daunting task countering market-driven alternatives to sustainability goals. With major climate policies — from electrification to emissions targets—depending on state and local leadership, the war for energy freedom has reignited a national clash between “elitism” and environmental justice. “We’re finally putting consumers — and not bureaucrats — back at the center. This isn’t just another rule change: It’s about who decides what powers progress,” Wright remarked. For Americans, that decision remains as heated as the gas stove it just resurrected. Sources for this article include: TheNationalPulse.com FreeBeacon.com UtilityDive.com