Attorney General Liz Murrill has joined Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in opposing the Biden administration’s latest regulatory action. The administration's new standards on washing machines have been criticized for their potential economic impact on middle-class Americans.
“Joe Biden continues his attack on Louisianans and consumers across the country. Once again, he and his bureaucratic tyrants want to dictate how you wash and dry your clothes, what car you can drive, how you cook your food, light and heat your house, and the list goes on and on and on. I’ll continue to push back on these ill-conceived policies that only hurt hardworking Louisianans and how they operate their households,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill.
The opposition arises from a newly released direct final rule regulating residential clothes washers. Critics argue that this regulation does not consider its economic impact, potentially leading to increased appliance costs for American consumers. In a letter to United States Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the attorneys general requested either abandonment of the rule or a notice-and-comment period before implementation.
Several appliance companies and industry groups share concerns about the proposed standards. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) commented that the rule would “eliminate consumer features, reduce choice, significantly increase cost, and/or negatively impact product performance.” Whirlpool emphasized that the rule was not economically justified, citing research showing a 25% cost increase for consumers and a potential 31% loss in industry net present value—potentially resulting in over 8,000 job losses.
Although AHAM eventually consented to the new rule in a joint statement with advocacy groups such as the Alliance for Water Efficiency and Earthjustice, the attorneys general argue this agreement resulted from administrative pressure rather than addressing stakeholder concerns adequately. They claim that DOE cannot issue this rule without broader agreement from all interested parties as required by law.
The coalition urges DOE to reconsider its direct final rule considering these objections. Louisiana is among several states calling for public comment opportunities before any regulatory changes are enacted.
Attorney General Liz Murrill and Attorney General Moody were joined by attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska New Hampshire Oklahoma South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia West Virginia.