Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm speaks during a daily news briefing at the White House last year. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Under the regulations, certain less-efficient models of washers and dryers will be barred from being sold, according to DOE.
The clothes washers rule will lead to 30-year energy savings of 0.7 quadrillion British thermal units, a savings of 3% compared to the profile of models currently on the market. And the dryers rule will lead to 30-year energy savings of 2.7 quadrillion British thermal units, a savings of 11% compared to products on the market now.
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DOE said the regulations largely reflect an agreement issued in September by environmental groups and industry associations.
The Biden administration has pursued more than 100 appliance regulations since taking office as part of its sweeping climate agenda. (Getty Images)
"What we're learning is that the government ought to get out of the business of doing these regulations," Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told Fox News Digital in an interview. "And not try to just float really extreme ones and then come up with something that's less extreme."
"The main concern with these negotiated rulemakings is that it mostly involves the manufacturers and the energy efficiency activists," he added. "One wonders how much the interests of consumers are taken into account during this process."
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The new standards for washers and dryers, meanwhile, are the latest in a long string of energy efficiency regulations unveiled by DOE over the last 12 months. Climate activists have argued such regulations are necessary to combat global warming, noting that the commercial and residential sector accounts for the largest share of total end-use carbon emissions of any sector in the U.S.
However, Republican lawmakers and free market advocates have argued the rules restrict consumer choice and lead to increased upfront costs.
"DOE should be looking for ways to address the problems caused by the existing washing machine regulations rather than making things worse with tougher new regulations," Lieberman told Fox News Digital.
Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-finalizes-environmental-regulations-targeting-clothes-washers-dryers