Breaking News: U.S. DOE Announces Sweeping Plan to Eliminate or Modify Dozens of Regulations, Standards, and Requirements

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled plans to eliminate or modify 47 Biden-era regulations, including those related to energy, climate, and environmental policies.

The flurry of nearly four dozen final rules and proposed rules announced May 12, 2025, aligns with President Trump’s executive order on deregulation. The proposed rules call for the elimination or modification to consumer appliance standards; regulations limiting building and energy production; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements for grant recipients.

The DOE claims that these changes will save Americans an estimated $11 billion and reduce the Code of Federal Regulations by over 125,000 words. The 47 deregulatory actions include:

• Rescinding requirements for exempt external power supplies under the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014.

• Streamlining administrative procedures for the import and export of natural gas.

• Streamlining the application for presidential permit authorizing the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of facilities for transmission of electric energy at international boundaries.

• Rescinding the collection of information under the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974.

• Rescinding regulations for loans for minority business enterprises seeking DOE contracts and assistance.

• Streamlining applications for authorization to transmit electric energy to a foreign country.

• Rescinding the production incentives for cellulosic biofuel.

• Rescinding reporting requirements, certification, independent verification, and DOE Review for voluntary greenhouse gas reporting.

• Rescinding the grant programs for schools, hospitals, and buildings owned by units of local government and public care institutions.

• Rescinding the renewable energy production incentive.

• Streamlining the procedures for the acquisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

• Rescinding energy conservation standards for automatic commercial ice makers.

• Rescinding energy conservation standards for commercial pre-rinse spray valves.

• Rescinding the energy conservation standards for microwave ovens.

• Rescinding the water use standards for faucets.

• Rescinding energy conservation standards for external power supplies.

• Rescinding in part the amended energy conservation standards for dehumidifiers.

• Rescinding the amended design requirements for conventional cooking tops.

• Rescinding the amended design requirements for conventional ovens.

• Rescinding the amended water conservation standards for commercial clothes washers.

• Rescinding the amended water use standards for residential clothes washers.

• Rescinding the amended water use standards for residential dishwashers.

• Rescinding the efficiency standards for battery chargers.

• Rescinding the efficiency standards for compact residential clothes washers.

• Rescinding floodplains and wetlands environmental review requirements.

• Ending requirements for members of one sex to be able to try out for sports teams of the opposite sex.

• Rescinding new construction requirements related to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities.

• Rescinding obsolete financial assistance rules.

• Rescinding obsolete transfer of proceedings regulations.

• Rescinding regulations related to nondiscrimination based on sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.

• Rescinding regulations related to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities (general provisions).

• Rescinding regulations related to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities (nondiscrimination based on age).

• Rescinding the regulation encouraging alternative dispute resolution.

• Withdrawing air cleaners as a covered consumer product.

• Withdrawing compressors as covered equipment.

• Withdrawing miscellaneous refrigeration products as a covered consumer product.

• Withdrawing portable air conditioners as a covered consumer product.

• Withdrawal of fans and blowers as covered equipment.

• Rescinding test procedures for small electric motors.

• Rescinding test procedures for commercial warm air furnaces.

• Rescinding alternative dispute regulations for the DOE contractor employee protection program.

• Request for information on lowering the efficiency standards for furnace fans.

• Notice rescinding 10 various guidance documents.

• Rescinding the definition of showerhead.

• Withdrawing portable electric spas as a covered product.

• Withdrawing miscellaneous gas products as a covered product.

• Delaying the compliance date for federal agencies to meet the clean energy federal building rule.

The comment periods for the proposed rules are generally 60 days from the date of publication of these rules in the Federal Register. The notices state the publication date for most of these proposed rules is scheduled to be May 16, 2025. So, interested entities will have until July 15, 2025, to submit comments.

The final rules will enter into force 60 days after their publication in the Federal Register. Interested entities can still submit comments up to 30 days after their publication.

(This article will be updated as more information becomes available.)