NAMA Sets Grassroots Engagement Record: More Than 1,000 Participants Submit Comments To DOE

(CHICAGO) November 20, 2015 –NAMA announced today that it has achieved record grassroots engagement with more than 1,000 industry members submitting comments on the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) proposed rule on energy conservation standards for beverage and combination vending machines.

A total of 1,045 industry members submitted comments to the DOE, with the pool of participants representing 40 states and every segment of the refreshment services industry. NAMA’s Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) helped spread the word, with a special call to action from ELN Chair, Mike Kelley. “ELN members know the importance of being involved in NAMA’s advocacy efforts and are happy to assist in attempts to create reasonable regulations on our industry,” Kelley said.

“NAMA’s entire government affairs team is humbled by the continued increase of industry involvement in grassroots advocacy,” said Eric Dell, NAMA SVP of Government Affairs. “NAMA’s message is clear: officials at the Department of Energy should understand how important it is that their proposed standard be modified to reflect reasonable, attainable energy conservation standards for beverage vending machines.”   

DOE’s proposed rule would require an unattainable reduction in energy consumption in beverage and combination vending machines by 2019.

According to Dell, NAMA and the industry oppose the DOE’s proposed energy conservation standards for the following reasons:

1. The standards are not technologically feasible.
2. The standards are not economically justified due to the burden they pose on an industry comprised largely of small businesses already working to meet other EPA mandates and comply with new DOE testing procedures.
3. The standards propose a definition of “combination vending machines” that is not consistent with industry practice and has not been tested to the proposed standard.
4. The standards would eliminate the current ENERGY STAR specification as being the “most efficient” standard, causing confusion and removing the credibility of ENERGY STAR in the industry.
5. The DOE has not provided the industry or consumers with proof to substantiate their claim that beverage machines using carbon dioxide that meet the proposed standard levels are already available.

NAMA is asking that DOE revisit this proposal by working more closely with industry leaders to revise the standard to something attainable and reasonable that would not be enforceable until 2022.

Founded in 1936, NAMA is the association representing the $25 billion U.S. vending and refreshment service industry.  With more than 1250 member companies – including many of the world’s most recognized brands – NAMA provides advocacy, education and research for its membership. Visit NAMA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.