Page 32 - julyaugust2025neat

NPGA corner

DOE Issues New Rules
The Department of Energy recently issued
two new rules impacting the propane industry. In ear-
ly May, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced
the withdrawal of its previous classification of certain
"miscellaneous gas products" (MGPs)—specifically
decorative hearths and outdoor heaters—as covered
consumer products under the Energy Policy and Con-
servation Act (EPCA). This action effectively exempts
these products from federal energy conservation
standards and associated regulations. NPGA and co-
alition partners AGA and APGA have commented on
this issue multiple times, most recently in April 2025 due to court order. NPGA will continue to fight for
supporting this withdrawal. our members to keep them from being hampered by
On May 5th, the Department of Energy is- unnecessary and costly Federal regulations.
sued a stay delaying the compliance date for its Clean For further information, please contact NPGA
Energy Rule (CER), which mandates that certain new Senior Vice President for Regulatory and Industry
federal buildings and major renovations reduce fossil Affairs Benjamin Nussdorf.■
fuel-generated energy consumption. Originally set to
take effect on May 1, the compliance date has now Federal Register Publishes NPGA’s Application for
been postponed to May 1, 2026. This delay allows Relief from FMCSA’s HOS Regulations
the DOE to review its CER implementation guidance On July 1, 2025, the Federal Register pub-
and petition templates to ensure alignment with re- lished NPGA’s Application for relief from the Fed-
cent energy policies introduced by the Trump admin- eral Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours of
istration. NPGA has been engaged in this rule since Service Regulations. If granted, NPGA’s waiver would
DOE issued a Supplementary Notice of Proposed allow for improved industry planning, logistics, and
Rulemaking in December 2022, including successfully response to emergencies. NPGA members are en-
advocating for the inclusion of renewable propane as couraged to comment in support of the application
a renewable fuel and advocating for implementation and provide examples of how relief from hours of
plans that reduce burdens to our members. service regulations would help avoid curtailments
Questions? Contact Director of Regulatory and protect human health and safety. Comments will
Affairs and Associate General Counsel Kate Gaziano.■ be accepted until July 31, 2025. Comments may be
submitted here.
NPGA Identifies Redundant and Burdensome Regu-
lations For questions or additional information,
please do not hesitate to contact Senior Vice Presi-
On May 12th, 2025, NPGA responded to a Re- dent of Regulatory & Industry Affairs Benjamin Nuss-
quest for Information from the Office of Management dorf.■
and Budget. In that submission, NPGA identified 13
separate Federal regulations across 6 agencies which EIA Outlook: Rising Residential Electricity Bills
were obsolete, unduly burdensome, or otherwise The U.S. Energy Information Administration
appropriate for recission. The Trump Administration projected that the average U.S. household will pay
has already taken action on some of these recom- $178 per month for electricity between June and
mendations, including the formal recission of the September of this year – up from $173 during the
Department of Energy’s rule on tankless water heat- same period last year. This increase is attributed not
ers, which now has no force or effect. While some to higher usage, but to rising electricity prices. Despite
regulations are currently in effect, others have been a slightly cooler summer forecast, Americans will still
suspended for years, and others are currently inactive pay more due to elevated per-kilowatt-hour costs. The

32 Alabama Propane Gas Association | July / August 2025