Gas Stoves Are Back Under Scrutiny With New US Limits Proposed
Source: By Ari Natter, Bloomberg • Posted: Thursday, February 2, 2023
Rule would set energy consumption standard for first time Industry says limits could ‘effectively ban’ some appliances
Gas stoves are coming under fresh scrutiny as a second federal agency has now stepped into the political firestorm with a proposal for new regulations for the appliances.
The Energy Department proposal, published Wednesday, sets first-of-their-kind limits on energy consumption for the stoves, drawing fear from the industry that the regulation could effectively end the use of some products from the market. The proposal also sets energy usage standards for electric cook tops and new standards for both gas and electric ovens.
The move comes just weeks after an official with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission floated the idea of a ban, igniting criticism from the gas industry and from lawmakers ranging from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers to Senator Joe Manchin. Within days, the head of the commission clarified that the agency had no plans for a ban, and the White House issued a statement that said the president didn’t support banning the cooking products either.
“We are concerned that this is another attempt by the Federal government to use regulations to remove viable and efficient natural gas products from the market,” Karen Harbert, president of the American Gas Association, said of the Energy Department’s proposal, adding that the group will “carefully evaluate this rule in the coming weeks.”
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While Alexander Hoehn-Saric, chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said the agency was “not looking to ban gas stoves,” it is moving forward with a Request for Information, the first step in a potential rule making.