LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing the United States Congress to
update the Energy Star Program, with the following recommendations in
order to ensure it remains the gold-standard for energy efficient
products

WHEREAS, The Energy Star Program started in 1992 as a joint initiative
of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA); and
WHEREAS, The main objective of the Energy Star Program was to create a
set of nationwide standards and an easy to recognize logo that consumers
could use to identify energy efficient products; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception, this successful program has become wide-
ly recognized by consumers and has created standards for over 100 prod-
uct categories; in 2007 alone, it is credited with saving consumers over
$16 billion in energy costs and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equiv-
alent to that produced by 27 million cars; and
WHEREAS, Due to the Energy Star Program's widespread acceptance, many
state legislatures, including the State of New York, have used Energy
Star compliance as a standard for other legislation; and
WHEREAS, Therefore, it is critically important that the Energy Star
designation be as meaningful and as up-to-date as possible; and
WHEREAS, The following updates are recommended to be made to the Ener-
gy Star Program in order to ensure that it remains the gold-standard for
energy efficient products:
I. The product testing used by the EPA and DOE to determine the
standards for claiming the Energy Star seal should be changed
to require: 1) that manufacturers include the model number for
each product tested; 2) that the appropriate agency perform
sample testing to confirm the results submitted by manufactur-
ers; and 3) that manufacturers include developmental products
planned for sale within two years in the sample of products
submitted to the agency for the purposes of updating the Energy
Star Standard.
II. EPA and DOE should be required to update the standards for
the top 10 energy consuming products no less than once every
three years.
III. EPA and DOE should reduce the time allowed for the comment
period used in the process of updating the Energy Star stand-
ards to reduce the amount of time required to produce an
updated standard.
IV. EPA and DOE should be required to perform routine verification
testing for Energy Star labeled products once they have reached
consumers to ensure industry compliance.
V. The budget allotted to the EPA and DOE Energy Star units
should be increased to allow sufficient resources for an effec-
tive program of verification testing; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States be and hereby is
respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to update the Energy
Star Program, ensuring it remains the gold-standard for energy efficient
products; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the President of the Senate of the United States, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the Congress of
the United States from the State of New York.