When asked if they were investigating claims that gas stoves release hazardous pollutants, an official from a U.S. agency said, “Any possibility is on the table.”
Several members of Congress have expressed concern that Americans will be “paying greater energy expenses” if the Biden administration follows through on rumors that it is considering a ban on gas stoves. Many members of Congress from both parties have spoken out against the proposal.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is exploring action due to growing concerns about the potential for gas stoves to pollute indoor air. Because their emissions may create health issues, the EPA aims to regulate the gadgets, according to Bloomberg.
According to CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr.’s interview with Bloomberg, it’s a personal risk. “Everything is on the table at this point. Products that cannot be rendered safe ought to be outlawed.”
Later, in another tweet, Trumka Jr. specified that the ban would be effective only for future purchases.
Many Americans are frustrated because the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is now contemplating whether or not to ban gas stoves. However, CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric has stated that he is actively seeking a new residence. Some people have said that the panel is hypocritical because of a photo of First Lady Jill Biden cooking with a gas stove that just went viral.
The first female leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee since its founding in 1795, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, told Fox News Digital that plans to restrict gas stoves are “the latest in a long line of power grabs by the extreme left and Biden administration.” Rodgers is the representative for Washington state’s 5th congressional district.
“There is no threat to the public’s safety. It sends a message to the citizens of the United States that the government has ultimate control over the kinds of cars they can drive, the temperatures at which they can keep their houses, and the kinds of food they can serve their family, “Which Rodgers helped with. “Natural gas is a lifeline for many people in the United States. In addition to raising prices for middle-class Americans, mandating that individuals choose more expensive alternatives will disproportionately negatively impact the most disadvantaged members of our society.”
She warned that Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee would hold President Joe Biden to account for the administration’s work to lower energy costs and cease Biden’s self-proclaimed “war on American energy.”
Missouri Republican Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer called the rumored plan to outlaw gas stoves “another far-left policy with no consideration for the people it impacts” in an interview with Fox News.
“Gas stoves are an inexpensive alternative that is utilized by close to 40% of homes in Missouri and throughout America,” said Luetkemeyer, a former leading member of the House Small Business Committee. The federal government appears less concerned with economic growth and more engaged in regulating what Americans consume.
West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin stated on Tuesday, calling the alleged behavior “a recipe for tragedy.”
“What individuals eat for supper is none of the government’s concern. When it comes to my kitchen appliances, the gas stove is the one that will never be replaced.” Manchin argues that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has to be rethought “if this is the principal worry it’s worried about when safeguarding U.S. people.”
Some Republicans in the House, including Representatives Daniel Meuser (R-PA), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY), have spoken out against the proposal.
The potential for “increased power rates for Americans” and “severe pressure on our electric grid,” as Meuser warned Fox, was a significant concern.
A possible ban on gas stoves was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which Meuser believes is an example of “the Biden administration’s bureaucratic overreach” into American homes. “More than a third of American homes rely on natural gas cooking. It’s just the latest evidence of the Biden administration’s unwarranted attack on American energy, and this limitation is the latest sign of that.”
Meuser has voiced his fear that this move “may compel Americans to pay higher power rates and badly strain our electric infrastructure.” “Having represented one of the country’s top natural gas-producing regions, I find these ideas discouraging again. The United States has a wealth of energy resources, but natural gas stands out as one of the most dependable, secure, inexpensive, and plentiful. There seems to be no reasonable reason to prohibit gas ranges.”
According to Banks, the Left’s “extreme green agenda” is motivated by “control, not science,” suggesting that gas stoves are safer than electric ones.
A former House Small Business Committee member, Tenney, said this verdict “again reveals the Left is purely concerned in controlling the lives of others, not with increasing the quality of life of Americans.”
Tenney said that “almost 40 million residences” rely on gas stoves but that “this latest move by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Kathy Hochul to force companies and people to employ electric stoves is another skirmish in Democrats’ attack on reliable and inexpensive energy supplies.” “Consumers should have access to a range of reasonably priced options for preparing food and heating and powering their homes and vehicles.”
The proposed ban on gas stoves is “a textbook example of fake science,” Republican Texas Representative Michael Burgess said.
Burgess reasoned that the widespread adoption of gas stoves throughout American homes over many decades must mean that the fuel is safe to use. “Gas stoves are commonplace due to their affordability, convenience, and small footprint. The Democrats are trying to drum up support for their Green New Deal before giving up the fight. This winter, Americans will face record-high inflation, and the Biden administration wants you to go out and purchase a new stove. That’s the height of wishful thinking.”
Wisconsin Republican Representative Scott Fitzgerald adopted a more moderate stance, telling Fox News, “Everybody knows that a gas oven produces superior chocolate chip cookies to an electric one. I’m sorry to say I have to disagree and find the whole thing very stupid.”
In a statement released Wednesday, Hoehn-Saric brushed off Trumka Jr.’s comments by pointing to the “attention devoted to gas stove emissions” and the agency as evidence.
“The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating potential remedies for the detrimental impact of gas stove emissions on indoor air quality. However, I want to be clear that neither I nor the Consumer Product Safety Commission intends to abolish gas stoves.” According to Hoehn-Saric.
He also referenced an investigation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on the effects of gas stove emissions on human health. “The CPSC is working hard to improve the safety of gas stoves through voluntary standards. This coming spring, we hope to conduct a public survey to understand better the risks associated with gas stove emissions and how to mitigate them effectively. Our company’s goal is to produce in a completely toxic-free environment. This is why we devote time and energy to studying the problem and finding effective answers.”
On Wednesday, a White House official said that the administration does not back a ban on gas stoves.
The American Gas Association (AGA) issued a statement on Tuesday saying that attempts to generate consumer fears with baseless allegations to justify the banning of natural gas are a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would burden vulnerable populations with high costs.
The AGA stated that the “187 million Americans who depend on this crucial fuel every day” should be concerned by the planned limits on highly efficient natural gas stoves. Since 1990, natural gas utilities have cut their emissions of greenhouse gases by 69% and contributed to a pearlized 1.2% drop in households’ carbon footprints.