WASHINGTON - The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA’s) Government Affairs Committee met at the Reserve Officers Association headquarters on Capitol Hill and received a briefing on prospects for Congressional passage of an energy bill this year from Deborah Estes, Counsel, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Estes is a key Congressional staff person on appliance efficiency standards matters. The Government Affairs Committee discussed the increased activity in state legislatures to establish state minimum efficiency standards for central home heating equipment. It also discussed the guidance the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gave states in its Oct. 6, 2006, Proposed Rule to amend the federal minimum efficiency standards for residential furnaces and boilers on meeting the statutory criteria for obtaining waivers of federal preemption. The committee made recommendations to the GAMA board of directors concerning these issues that the board will consider at its next meeting on May 5.

For more information, call Joe Mattingly, GAMA vice president and general counsel, at 703-525-7060.

Publication date: 04/30/2007