An Arizona consumer group is applauding the U.S. Department of Energy's new residential water heater standards that they say will save American households about $7.6 billion per year on energy and water bills.

That's over $200 per month on the average residential utility bill.

Diane Brown is the executive director of the Arizona PIRG Education Fund and said the finalized standards will shift most new electric tank models to heat pump water heaters, something she calls a more efficient technology.

"Appliances that are more efficient enable Arizonans to continue to utilize the appliances they are familiar with," said Brown, "but using less energy at a lower cost."

The DOE last updated residential water heater efficiency standards in 2010.

Compliance of the new standards will start in 2029 and will result in over 50% of new electric storage water heaters to utilize heat pump technology, compared to today's 3%.

Brown added that the move will also help cut energy waste and harmful carbon pollution.

Brown encouraged Arizonans who are wanting to save money and energy to go to energy.gov/save - to learn more about tax credits and rebates when upgrading the way you heat, cool and power your home, as well as have access to other energy saving tips.

"Federal legislation, including the Inflation Reduction Act," said Brown, "have helped households in Arizona and across the country save money on everyday purchases, from electric vehicles to heat pump water heaters."

The amended standard represents what the DOE is calling a "moderate increase in efficiency for gas-fired, oil fired and larger electric storage water heaters."

The DOE is still considering amended standards for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters.

New Yorkers could benefit from a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule. It caps credit card late fees at $8, or - at the credit card company's discretion - 25% of the minimum balance due.

Consumers in New York and across the country would save about $220 per year.

But Rebecca Garrard, deputy executive director of Citizen Action of New York, said the rule is under fire in Congress.

"We have a problem with some of our congressional representatives who oppose measures such as this," said Garrard. "It's both problematic from a policy standpoint - and quite frankly confusing from a political standpoint, when you think about what the will of their constituents are."

The House Financial Services Committee voted to overturn this regulation a few weeks ago.

Garrard and others ascribed this to committee members in New York and nationwide receiving money from corporate donors opposed to the rule.

Despite this, polls show reducing credit card late fees has strong support across party lines.

Aside from CFPB protections being under fire, the agency itself just survived a Supreme Court challenge from conservative groups.

Kimberly Fountain - consumer financial justice field manager with Americans for Financial Reform - said with the decision out of the way, the CFPB can get back to work.

"They're working on requiring fairer credit reports," said Fountain, "reducing the harm of medical debt collection, fighting inequity in home appraisals, increasing consumer rights to control their own data, and much more."

She said she expects battles on consumer protections to continue in Congress.

Other rules the agency worked on include closing a loophole exempting overdraft fees from Truth in Lending Act provisions.

In the early years of the pandemic, New Yorkers paid close to $1.5 billion in overdraft fees.

Washington state is investing in bringing high-speed internet to more people in rural areas.

The Washington State Public Works Board has approved $20 million, largely in eastern Washington and in distressed areas for infrastructure projects to connect people to broadband internet.

Sheila Richardson, programs manager for the board, explained the need for the funding by many stakeholders.

"Cities, counties, ports, (planned unit developments), private providers," Richardson outlined. "They're all working really hard and being really creative on how they can leverage all these different funding sources to build out and make sure that these communities aren't getting left behind."

Richardson noted the funding will help connect about 6,000 people to broadband in the state. Washington also recently received approval of its proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, which will allow the state to request access to $1.2 billion in federal funding to increase connectivity.

Richardson emphasized ensuring people are connected to high-speed internet is important for a number of reasons.

"It's going to impact the local economics if there's access to broadband," Richardson pointed out. "People are able to work from home. We know it increases home value. It really kind of levels the playing field for everybody in our state regardless of where you live."

Richardson added the Public Works Board has retained about $500,000 for replacing or restoring broadband in the event of an emergency.


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This week, Ohio approved adult-use marijuana sales as part of a 2023 ballot measure, with sales anticipated to start mid-June.

Ohioans age 21 and over can now legally purchase marijuana across the state. In December, a law was enacted allowing people to grow and possess marijuana, but with no legal avenues to purchase it. Gov. Mike DeWine and some Republicans sought swift action to prevent black market sales.

Jim Canepa, cannabis control superintendent for the Ohio Department of Commerce, said after years of experience in liquor control, his role is to fairly and responsibly permit folks who grow, process, sell and test cannabis.

"My focus right now is really on coming up with the rules that are required and set forth, and the timeline set forth, in the initiated statute," Canepa explained. "They are June 7th to have the applications ready, and September 7th to start issuing permits."

The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review approved the rules without objection, enabling a dual licensing program for existing medical marijuana dispensaries to also sell nonmedical cannabis products.

Ariane Kirkpatrick, CEO of the cannabis company Harvest of Ohio, said her dispensaries are ramping up to meet the anticipated demand.

"How are we going to do staffing?," Kirkpatrick asked. "We're looking at parking, so, at the different ordinances of the cities of where we're located, to make sure we have the proper parking. Looking at drive-through, because some of our locations might have been limited already as far as capacity."

The new legislation allows for people age 21 and older to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, or 15 grams of cannabis extract, and the home cultivation of up to six plants for personal use and up to 12 plants with two or more adults in the household.

Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


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