Department of Energy Deletes Conservation Pages After 78 Degree Thermostat Fight
The Department of Energy reportedly deleted about 6,000 web pages related to energy conservation as a major heatwave intensified pressure on parts of the U.S. power grid.
The Verge reported that the deleted pages included guidance and resources on energy saving, water conservation, insulation and the agency’s Solar Decathlon program. The removals drew attention because they followed a political fight over New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani asking residents to set air conditioning to 78 degrees to reduce grid strain.
The thermostat request quickly became a national political argument. Sen. Ted Cruz criticized the recommendation, Nikki Haley reportedly wrote “Welcome to Socialism,” and Rep. Nancy Mace called it “an act of war against women in menopause,” according to the Houston Chronicle and other reports.
The counter reaction focused on consistency. Texas outlets noted that ERCOT and other governments have previously issued similar 78 degree conservation guidance during heat emergencies or periods of grid stress.
Subscribe free for daily political analysis they won’t broadcast. Join 110K+ readers →
The practical consequence is not just political optics. Federal energy pages often serve as public reference material for households, local governments, reporters and emergency communicators. Removing them during extreme heat can make basic conservation advice harder to find at the moment people are looking for it.
The administration’s broader energy posture has emphasized deregulation, lower costs and consumer choice. DOE recently described a proposal on appliance and equipment conservation standards as part of an effort to roll back what it called burdensome mandates.
What remains unclear is why each page was removed, whether the material will return, and whether DOE plans to replace the deleted pages with updated guidance.
Subscribe free for daily political analysis they won’t broadcast. Join 110K+ readers →