Tina Smith: “with respect to the credit for energy efficient appliances, section 1334 of the Energy Policy Act, I understand that the…”

“with respect to the credit for energy efficient appliances, section 1334 of the Energy Policy Act, I understand that the dishwasher credit amount is based on a comparison of changes to the Department of Energy's Energy Star specification for its 2007 qualifying level as compared to the existing Energy Star qualifying level for this product. In particular, the amount of the credit for these products to be provided is determined, in that section, by calculating the percentage increase in efficiency--measured as an ``Energy Factor'' or ``EF''--from the 2005 Energy Star level to the 2007 Energy Star level. The current Energy Star specification for dishwashers is measured by EF. There is the possibility that the Energy Star Program might change the metric for measuring efficiencies of these products from EF to another measurement and this might create confusion in the calculation and implementation of the credit. I would like to ask the bill's manager if it is his understanding that the IRS has the authority, in consultation with DOE, to establish an equivalent level of efficiency for dishwashers in case the Energy Star Program establishes an efficiency metric for these products that is different than the current EF metric.”