A bill to amend the Energy Policy Conservation Act to provide that consumer room air cleaners are covered products to which certain energy conservation standards apply, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.5258 | Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
This bill establishes energy efficiency standards for consumer room air cleaners under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). The bill defines consumer room air cleaners as cleaners that (1) are portable or wall-mounted (fixed) units; (2) plug into an electrical outlet; (3) operate with a fan for air circulation; and (4) contain a means to remove, destroy, or deactivate particulates.
The bill enumerates energy efficiency standards for air cleaners manufactured on December 31, 2023–December 30, 2025, as well as air cleaners manufactured on or after December 31, 2025. It also prescribes procedures to test the energy efficiency of air cleaners.
Energy efficiency labeling requirements apply to air cleaners beginning on December 31, 2023.

To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide that 
consumer room air cleaners are covered products to which certain energy 
         conservation standards apply, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 321 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6291) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(67) Consumer room air cleaner.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `consumer room air 
                cleaner' means a consumer product for improving air 
                quality that--
                            ``(i) is an electrically powered, self-
                        contained, mechanically encased assembly; and
                            ``(ii) contains means to remove, destroy, 
                        or deactivate particulates, volatile organic 
                        compounds, or microorganisms from the air.
                    ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `consumer room air 
                cleaner' includes--
                            ``(i) conventional room air cleaners; and
                            ``(ii) miscellaneous room air cleaners.
                    ``(C) Exclusions.--The term `consumer room air 
                cleaner' does not include--
                            ``(i) a central air conditioner, room air 
                        conditioner, portable air conditioner, 
                        dehumidifier, or furnace (as those terms are 
                        defined in section 430.2 of title 10, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date 
                        of enactment of this paragraph)); or
                            ``(ii) a duct type device.
            ``(68) Conventional room air cleaner.--The term 
        `conventional room air cleaner' means a consumer room air 
        cleaner that--
                    ``(A) is a portable or wall-mounted (fixed) unit;
                    ``(B) plugs into an electrical outlet;
                    ``(C) operates with a fan for air circulation; and
                    ``(D) contains a means to remove, destroy, or 
                deactivate particulates.
            ``(69) Duct type device.--The term `duct type device' means 
        an air cleaner that--
                    ``(A) is designed and marketed exclusively for use 
                in and at adjoining ducts, including the plenum, of 
                heating, air conditioning, and ventilating systems; and
                    ``(B) is either cord-and-plug connected or 
                permanently connected to the electrical supply source.
            ``(70) Miscellaneous room air cleaner.--The term 
        `miscellaneous room air cleaner' means any consumer room air 
        cleaner that is not a conventional room air cleaner.''.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF CONSUMER ROOM AIR CLEANERS.

    Section 322(a) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6292(a)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (20) as paragraph (21); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (19) the following:
            ``(20) Consumer room air cleaners.''.

SEC. 3. TEST PROCEDURES.

    Section 323(b) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6293(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(19) Conventional room air cleaners.--
                    ``(A) For compliance with the standards under 
                section 325(ii)(1), the test procedure shall be AHAM 
                AC-7-2022, and section 6.2 of ANSI/AHAM AC-1-2020 for 
                Dust CADR and section 5.2 of ANSI/AHAM AC-1-2020 for 
                Smoke CADR may be applied for the calculation of 
                PM<INF>2.5</INF>.
                    ``(B) For compliance with the standards under 
                section 325(ii)(2), the test procedure shall be AHAM 
                AC-7-2022.
                    ``(C) When considering amended standards for 
                conventional room air cleaners that replace the 
                standards under section 325(ii)(2), the Secretary shall 
                consider amending the test procedure to include 
                measurement of automatic mode, if such an inclusion 
                would improve the accuracy of energy use 
                measurements.''.

SEC. 4. LABELING.

    Section 324(a) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6294(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and (8) through (12)'' 
        and inserting ``(8) through (12), and (20)''; and
            (2) in paragraph (5), by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) The Commission shall not require compliance 
                with labeling requirements under this section for 
                conventional room air cleaners before December 31, 
                2025.''.

SEC. 5. ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS.

    Section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6295) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (m)(4)(A)(i), by inserting ``consumer 
        room air cleaners,'' after ``with respect to'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (ii) as subsection (jj); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (hh) the following:
    ``(ii) Conventional Room Air Cleaners.--
            ``(1) In general.--The following standards shall apply to 
        conventional room air cleaners manufactured during the period 
        beginning on December 31, 2023 and ending on December 30, 2025:
                    ``(A) A conventional room air cleaner with a 
                measured PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR of greater than 9 and 
                less than 100 shall meet or exceed an IEF of 1.69 
                PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR/Watt.
                    ``(B) A conventional room air cleaner with a 
                measured PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR of greater than 99 and 
                less than 150 shall meet or exceed an IEF of 1.90 
                PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR/Watt.
                    ``(C) A conventional room air cleaner with a 
                measured PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR of 150 or greater shall 
                meet or exceed an IEF of 2.01 PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR/
                Watt.
            ``(2) Subsequent standards.--The following standards shall 
        apply to conventional room air cleaners manufactured on or 
        after December 31, 2025:
                    ``(A) A conventional room air cleaner with a 
                measured PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR of greater than 9 and 
                less than 100 shall meet or exceed an IEF of 1.89 
                PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR/Watt.
                    ``(B) A conventional room air cleaner with a 
                measured PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR of greater than 99 and 
                less than 150 shall meet or exceed an IEF of 2.39 
                PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR/Watt.
                    ``(C) A conventional room air cleaner with a 
                measured PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR of 150 or greater shall 
                meet or exceed an IEF of 2.91 PM<INF>2.5</INF> CADR/
                Watt.''.

SEC. 6. PREEMPTION.

    Subsection (jj) of section 325 of the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295) (as redesignated by section 5(2)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``; and'' at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) beginning on December 31, 2023, to consumer room air 
        cleaners, except that section 327(a)(1)(B) shall apply to 
        consumer room air cleaners beginning on the date of enactment 
        of this paragraph.''.

SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Section 321(6)(B) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
U.S.C. 6291(6)(B)) is amended by striking ``(20)'' and inserting 
``(21)''.
    (b) Section 324 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
U.S.C. 6294) is amended by striking ``(20)'' each place it appears 
(other than in subsection (a)(1) (as amended by section 4(1))) and 
inserting ``(21)''.
    (c) Section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
U.S.C. 6295) is amended by striking ``(20)'' each place it appears and 
inserting ``(21)''.

SEC. 8. OTHER AIR CLEANERS.

    Nothing in this Act affects the authority of the Secretary of 
Energy to regulate air cleaners (as defined in section 430.2 of title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this Act)), other than consumer room air cleaners (as 
defined in section 321 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
U.S.C. 6291)).
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