LETTER: Bill would undermine energy efficiency standards for appliances

Las Vegas officials are distributing free trees to combat extreme heat, but Congress has the power to take action on climate-warming pollution. The less air pollution we have, the better for our environment and communities. And Nevadans know that the cleanest and cheapest energy is the energy we never need to use.

But Congress is taking up legislation — H.R. 4626 — that would roll back energy-saving appliance standards. The bill would perpetuate energy waste and increase pollution.

As Nevadans suffer through extreme heat, and local officials do what they can to help, Congress can temper the impacts of energy generation by protecting energy efficiency standards. These policies ensure that when Americans purchase appliances such as refrigerators or washing machines, they run on up-to-date, energy-saving technologies.

Last year, efficiency standards saved American households and businesses around $105 billion on utility bills. Now is not the time to go backwards.

A vote for H.R. 4626 is a vote for energy waste. I hope Nevada’s representatives vote “no” on H.R. 4626.