Last month the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said gas-powered stoves are a ‘hidden health hazard.’
“Natural gas stoves, which are used in about 40% of homes in the US, emit air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter at levels the EPA and World Health Organization have said are unsafe and linked to respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and other health conditions, according to reports by groups such as the Institute for Policy Integrity and the American Chemical Society.” – the federal agency said last month.
Now the Department of Energy is coming for your gas stoves.
A second federal agency is now proposing limits on energy consumption for gas stoves.
“This approach by DOE could effectively ban gas appliances,” said Jill Notini, a vice president with the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. “We are concerned this approach could eliminate fully featured gas products.”
The trade group said 95% of the market for gas products would likely not meet the new proposed rules.
Bloomberg reported:
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.
The Energy Department’s proposal would reduce energy usage by about 30% relative to the least-efficient products on the market today, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, an environmental group. The proposed standards are based on improved cooking efficiency through the use of design options, such as an optimized burner and improved grates, and some products are already on the market that meet the requirements, the group said.
Last September the California Air Resources Board voted to end the sale of natural gas heaters by 2030.
The goal is to replace all gas-powered furnaces and water heaters with electric appliances.
California can’t even keep the lights on as it is.
What could possibly go wrong?