Despite a national outcry from both Democratic and Republican voters and lawmakers, the Biden administration moved forward with new regulatory proposals for one of the most common American household appliances: Natural gas stoves.
Last month, Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr., a Democratic activist and longtime labor union leader, claimed that the stoves present a “hidden hazard” to users and that “any option is on the table” regarding regulations or even a national prohibition. Not long afterward, Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric posted a statement in which he said that neither he nor the agency would be banning the stoves after many people criticized the implication from Trumka that they could be banned.
I want to set the record straight.
Contrary to recent media reports, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the @USCPSC has no proceeding to do so. Read my full statement: pic.twitter.com/bYS1GLEpXP
— Alex Hoehn-Saric (@HoehnSaricCPSC) January 11, 2023
“Over the past several days, there has been a lot of attention paid to gas stove emissions,” Hoehn-Saric said. “Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so.”
The federal nanny agency is charged with “reducing the unreasonable risk of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products.”
Hoehn-Saric added: “CPSC is researching gas emissions in stoves and exploring new ways to address health risks. CPSC also is actively engaged in strengthening voluntary safety standards for gas stoves. And later this spring, we will be asking the public to provide us with information about gas stove emissions and potential solutions for reducing any associated risks.”
As many as 70 percent of households in California and New Jersey use natural gas stoves for cooking. Nationwide, the figure is around 38 percent.
But on Wednesday, the Energy Department went ahead with a new proposal that would allow government regulators to write energy consumption standards for the appliances, the Daily Wire reported, adding:
Gas stoves would be subjected to a new “maximum integrated annual energy consumption” standard under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The rules, for which the Energy Department will accept public comment until April 3, would mark a change from previous regulations that prohibited constant burning pilot lights in gas stoves but placed no limits on energy consumption. Conventional ovens would likewise not be permitted to have a control system that utilizes a linear power supply under the proposed rules.
The Energy Department said officials have “tentatively concluded that the proposed standards represent the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy.” The agency added that “products achieving these standard levels are already commercially available for all product classes covered by this proposal” and cited “important and robust” climate benefits.
“The proposed standards are likely to result in environmental benefits in the form of reduced emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases associated with energy production and use, including in-home emissions reductions experienced by consumers, and their families,” the proposed rules said.
One leading Democrat has already said that he won’t sit by and allow the Biden regime to ban or regulate the stoves.
“I just want to mention one last thing unrelated to our hearing topic today,” Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said during a floor speech on Thursday. “Gas, and I’ll repeat, gas stoves have been in the news lately, and I’ve come out strongly against the Consumer Product Safety Commission pursuing any ban of gas stoves.”
Manchin said he and Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz would introduce legislation Thursday to ensure gas stoves aren’t banned.
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