---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6307"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6307"
heading: "Consumer education"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6307"
units:
  - "Chapter 77 — Energy Conservation"
  - "Subchapter III — Improving Energy Efficiency"
  - "Part A — Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles"
---

# §6307. Consumer education

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall, in close cooperation and coordination with the [Commission](/usc/42/6291.md?p=18) and appropriate industry trade associations and industry members, including [retailers](/usc/42/6291.md?p=13), and interested consumer and environmental organizations, carry out a program to educate consumers and other [persons](/usc/42/6202.md?p=2) with respect to—
  - (1) the significance of [estimated annual operating costs](/usc/42/6291.md?p=7);
  - (2) the way in which comparative shopping, including comparisons of [estimated annual operating costs](/usc/42/6291.md?p=7), can save [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) for the Nation and money for consumers; and
  - (3) such other matters as the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) determines may encourage the conservation of [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) in the use of [consumer products](/usc/42/6291.md?p=1).

  Such steps to educate consumers may include publications, audiovisual presentations, demonstrations, and the sponsorship of national and regional conferences involving [manufacturers](/usc/42/6291.md?p=12), [distributors](/usc/42/6291.md?p=14), [retailers](/usc/42/6291.md?p=13), and consumers, and [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4), local, and Federal Government representatives. Nothing in this section may be construed to require the compilation of lists which compare the [estimated annual operating costs](/usc/42/6291.md?p=7) of [consumer products](/usc/42/6291.md?p=1) by model or [manufacturer](/usc/42/6291.md?p=12)’s name.

- (b) **State and local incentive programs—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall, not later than one year after October 24, 1992, issue recommendations to the [States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) for establishing [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) and local incentive programs designed to encourage the acceleration of voluntary replacement, by consumers, of existing [showerheads](/usc/42/6291.md?p=31-D), [faucets](/usc/42/6291.md?p=31-E), [water closets](/usc/42/6291.md?p=31-F), and [urinals](/usc/42/6291.md?p=31-G) with those products that meet the standards established for such products pursuant to subsections (j) and (k) of [section 6295 of this title](/usc/42/6295.md).
  - (2) In developing such recommendations, the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall consult with the heads of other federal[^1] [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), including the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1); [State](/usc/42/6202.md?p=4) officials; [manufacturers](/usc/42/6291.md?p=12), suppliers, and installers of plumbing products; and other interested parties.
- (c) **HVAC maintenance—**
  - (1) To ensure that installed air conditioning and heating systems operate at maximum rated [efficiency](/usc/42/6311.md?p=13-H) levels, the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall, not later than 180 days after August 8, 2005, carry out a program to educate homeowners and small business [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) concerning the [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) savings from properly conducted maintenance of air conditioning, heating, and ventilating systems.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) shall carry out the program under [paragraph (1)](#c-1), on a cost-shared basis, in cooperation with the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and any other entities that the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) determines to be appropriate, including industry trade associations, industry members, and [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) organizations.
- (d) **Small business education and assistance—**
  - (1) The [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Small Business Administration, in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) and the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), shall develop and coordinate a Government-wide program, [building](/usc/42/6321.md?p=c-2) on the [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) Star for Small Business Program, to assist small businesses in—
    - (A) becoming more [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) efficient;
    - (B) understanding the cost savings from improved [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5);
    - (C) understanding and accessing Federal procurement opportunities with regard to [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) Star technologies and products; and
    - (D) identifying financing options for [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) upgrades.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1), the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Small Business Administration shall—
    - (A) make program information available to small business concerns directly through the district offices and resource partners of the Small Business Administration, including small business development centers, women’s business centers, and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), and through other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), including the Federal Emergency Management [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and the Department of Agriculture; and
    - (B) coordinate assistance with the [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1) of [Commerce](/usc/42/6291.md?p=17) for manufacturing-related efforts, including the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program.
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1), on a cost shared basis in cooperation with the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), shall provide to the Small Business Administration all advertising, marketing, and other written materials necessary for the dissemination of information under [paragraph (2)](#d-2).
  - (4) The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1), the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Small Business Administration, as part of the outreach to small business concerns under the [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) Star Program for Small Business Program, may enter into cooperative agreements with qualified resources partners (including the National Center for Appropriate Technology) to establish, maintain, and promote a Small Business [Energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) Clearinghouse (in this subsection referred to as the “Clearinghouse”).
  - (5) The [Secretary](/usc/42/6202.md?p=1), the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and the [Administrator](/usc/42/6341.md?p=1) of the Small Business Administration shall ensure that the Clearinghouse provides a centralized resource where small business concerns may access, telephonically and electronically, technical information and advice to help increase [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) and reduce [energy](/usc/42/6291.md?p=3) costs.
  - (6) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection, to remain available until expended.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–163, title III, § 337, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 931; Pub. L. 95–619, title VI, § 691(b)(2), Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3288; Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 123(i), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2831; Pub. L. 109–58, title I, § 132, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 621.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2005—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 109–58 added subsecs. (c) and (d).

1992—Pub. L. 102–486 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).

1978—Pub. L. 95–619 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”, meaning Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration, wherever appearing.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section 315(a)(1) of Title 6, Domestic Security.