Washington - Today, US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources committee introduced legislation to require portable spas, bottle-type water dispensers, and commercial hot food holding cabinets to meet specific minimum energy requirements, which would help reduce energy use, consumers save money, and reduce environmental pollution. Standards for these three products have already been adopted in California, Connecticut, and Oregon, and were included in Waxman-Markey (H.R. 2454). In addition, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia have adopted the proposed standards for bottle-type water dispensers and commercial hot food holding cabinets. A national standard will end the loopholes in state standards by adopting a uniform national standard. These standards would only apply to new product sales.

"Reducing energy costs for families and businesses in these tough times is an important way to provide them with some financial relief," said Menendez. "This is one more way we help move our country forward towards an efficient and clean energy economy in the 21st century. By promoting energy efficiency, we help reduce energy use and its impact on the environment."

"Senator Menendez's bill will save substantial energy and money by expanding the federal standards program to three additional products, adopting standards for these products that half a dozen states have already shown are workable." said Steven Nadel, Executive Director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

Appliances, equipment and lighting account for 85-90% of residential and over 90% of commercial energy use. Equipment efficiency standards have been one of the most successful government policies for improving energy efficiency in the United States. Typically, states have taken the lead in enacting standards, with subsequent negotiations between manufacturers and efficiency advocates that then recommended consensus standards to Congress. Adopting a national standard now will serve to end the patchwork of state standards by adopting a uniform national standard that saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions nationally.

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