In a move that epitomizes the closing chapter of his presidency, Joe Biden’s Department of Energy quietly unveiled sweeping new regulations that could fundamentally transform how millions of Americans heat their water. The timing and manner of this announcement speak volumes – released without fanfare the day after Christmas, while many Americans were busy still celebrating the holiday season with their families.

The regulation, set to take effect in March of 2025, represents yet another example of executive branch overreach that has become characteristic of Biden’s final days in office. Rather than working with Congress to craft sensible energy policy, the administration has chosen to bypass legislative channels entirely.

What the administration isn’t trumpeting – and what most Americans don’t yet realize – is that this regulation effectively bans roughly 40% of current tankless water heaters from the market. Industry experts say this will have devastating consequences for consumers.

Devastating Impact of This Regulation

The true impact of this regulation becomes clear when examining the numbers. Sound like a lot? It gets worse. A standard Rinnai America tankless, non-condensing natural gas water heater currently costs about $1,000 at Home Depot. Under Biden’s new rules, consumers would be forced to purchase condensing models that run approximately $1,800. This is an 80% price increase that will disproportionately affect America’s most vulnerable populations.

“Forcing low-income and senior customers to pay far more upfront is particularly concerning,” warns Matthew Agen, the American Gas Association’s chief counsel for energy. “DOE’s decision to go ahead with a flawed final rule is deeply disappointing.”

The regulation’s technical requirements effectively mandate a switch to condensing technology, despite significant concerns about both cost and practicality. Frank Windsor, president of Rinnai America, revealed that his company had just completed a $70 million factory in Georgia to produce non-condensing water heaters. This investment will now be largely wasted due to federal overreach.

“When the rule goes into effect, all that manufacturing will basically be irrelevant,” Windsor explained. “A lot of the major equipment that we’ve invested in will basically have to be scrapped.”

If this sounds like government overreach at its finest, you’re right. The Heritage Foundation’s Diana Furchtgott-Roth points out the fundamental flaw in the administration’s approach.

“The object of these rules is to reduce consumption of natural gas, a goal of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, signed into law when America had to import oil and natural gas. Now, however, America is one of the world’s largest energy producers,” Furchtgott-Roth said.

Biden Admin Hits New Low

Perhaps most telling is the administration’s claim that these changes will save consumers money in the long run – approximately $112 over a 20-year period. Because apparently, Washington bureaucrats think $5.60 per year is worth upending an entire industry.

You truly can’t make this stuff up.

The American Gas Association has challenged the legality of the regulation. They argue that it violates the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which prohibits the DOE from implementing standards that eliminate products with distinct performance characteristics from the market.

While environmental groups like the Appliance Standards Awareness Project celebrate the regulation’s potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the real-world impact on American families – particularly seniors on fixed incomes and low-income households – appears to have been largely ignored in the administration’s calculations.

For millions of Americans living in smaller homes and apartments, where tankless water heaters are most common, this regulation represents yet another burden imposed by Washington bureaucrats who seem increasingly disconnected from the economic realities facing ordinary citizens.

As Biden’s presidency winds down, this regulation serves as a stark reminder of the real costs of executive overreach. These costs will be borne not by the policymakers in Washington but by hard-working Americans already struggling with inflation and rising energy prices.

In the end, Biden issuing bans like this one on his way out the door only cements him as one of the worst presidents of all time. Way to leave office on a low, Joe!

Key Takeaways: 

• Biden’s DOE quietly passed major water heater regulations during Christmas week, avoiding public scrutiny.
• New rules will force Americans to pay up to $800 more for basic water heaters.
• Regulation disproportionately impacts seniors and low-income families in smaller homes.
• The latest example of Biden using executive power to bypass Congress on climate agenda.

Sources: The New York Post, The Hill, Daily Wire