Free Republic

With little fanfare, the U.S. Department of Energy enacted a rule last year that will require all new furnaces installed in 30 Northern states including Pennsylvania and New Jersey to be high-efficiency models. Who would object to such a noble effort to conserve energy? Philadelphia Gas Works, for one. The city-owned utility is among several parties that have challenged the Energy Department's rule, saying that some homeowners cannot afford to install costly high-efficiency heating systems and will opt for cheaper electric or kerosene heaters. They say the new rule, which will go into effect nationwide in May 2013, will have...