Environment and Climate News reports that an EPA Inspector General study finds that the federal “Energy Star” program’s benefits are overstated and inaccurate.

The Inspector General?s December 17 report, Improvements Needed to
Validate Reported Energy Star Benefits, confirmed the data do not
support the program?s claimed gains, stating, ?We found the Energy Star
program?s … reported annual savings unreliable. We identified several
deficiencies with the shipment data and the process used in calculating
benefits.?

The report also faulted the program for relying too heavily on ?estimates, forecasting, and unverified third-party reporting.?

Energy
Star is a voluntary program affirming a product?s compliance with
certain environmental standards. In 1992 EPA began allowing the label
to be placed on computers. Since then, more than 40,000 products in 50
different categories have become eligible for Energy Star consideration.

The
program was later expanded to include ratings of the commercial and
industrial sectors of the economy as part of an effort toward lowering
the nation?s greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmentalists want to make the program even stronger.

Tim Ballo, an attorney with the nonprofit environmental law firm
EarthJustice, said the cure for underperforming energy efficiency
programs is stricter Energy Star standards.

?It?s not a question
of making Energy Star mandatory,? Ballo said. ?There are minimum
standards that cover a large number of appliances and that have to be
met for the label, … but I?m all for making the minimum standards
tougher.?

What is definition of insanity?  Something about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Unfortunately, freedom and prosperity are diminished with every cycle of central planning failure.