A U.S. Supreme Court order vacated a prior appellate decision that had upheld the Biden administration\u2019s strict rules for natural-gas furnaces and water heaters. The Court sent the case back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reconsider it, directing attention to the position in the Solicitor General\u2019s April 28, 2026 brief-namely that the underlying regulations rest on a legal error. <\/p>\n

The dispute centers on December 2021 Energy Policy and Conservation Act standards the gas industry<\/a> argues would force many homeowners to renovate their homes or switch to electric appliances. In its briefing, the Department of energy indicated it is reviewing the efficiency rules and that reconsideration could allow the appeals court to account for updated guidance, perhaps pausing the case while new rulemaking occurs. <\/p>\n

Industry groups, including the American Gas Association, hailed the decision as protecting consumers from higher costs and from bans affecting certain types of appliances. <\/p>\n