Energy Department proposes tighter efficiency standards for gas, electric stoves and ovens
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The Biden administration is set to reignite debate over gas stoves as the Energy Department on Wednesday proposed new efficiency standards for consumer cooking appliances.
The proposed regulations come just weeks after the Biden White House was forced to clarify the president does not support a ban on gas stoves following public outcry after a consumer product safety official suggested that option was "on the table."
In a notice of proposed rulemaking, the Energy Department said it has "tentatively concluded" new energy conservation standards for stove appliances would be technologically feasible and economically justified. The agency proposed new limitations on how much energy electric stove tops (both coil and smooth) and gas cooking tops may consume in a year.
In a shift, the Energy Department proposes to end the prohibition on constant burning pilot lights in gas stoves, but says a stove with a constant burning pilot light would not meet the new efficiency standards.
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In this photo illustration a pot sits on flames burning on a natural gas burning stove on Jan. 12, 2023, in North Haledon, New Jersey. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images / Getty Images) The department argued that stove appliances achieving its proposed standards are already commercially available and that the benefits to consumers and the climate exceed the potential burdens. Regulators estimated that the new standard would raise the upfront cost of stove products by $32.5 million per year, but save $100.8 million annually in operating costs, while generating $67 million in climate benefits and $64.9 million in health benefits. "As required by Congress, the Department of Energy is proposing efficiency standards for gas and electric cooktops — we are not proposing bans on either," a Department of Energy spokesperson told NBC News. "The proposed standards would not go into effect until 2027 and cumulatively save the nation up to $1.7 billion. Every major manufacturer has products that meet or exceed the requirements proposed today." FORMER ENERGY SECRETARY ISSUES DIRE WARNING OVER PUSH TO END GAS STOVES: ‘THIS IS ABOUT CONTROLLING YOUR LIFE Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, right, is joined by National Nuclear Security Administration head Jill Hruby and other officials for a news conference at the Department of Energy headquarters to announce a breakthrough in fusion research on Dec. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images / Getty Images) The Energy Department did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. The Biden administration stumbled into a controversy last month after U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. suggested that the administration could ban gas stoves, which are claimed to emit pollutants that cause respiratory and health issues. Trumka told Bloomberg that "any option is on the table" as the commission develops regulations to make gas stoves safer. "Products that can't be made safe can be banned," he said. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TORCH GAS STOVE BAN AS ‘BLANKET’ POLICY: IT ‘ISN’T FOR EVERYONE' Yohanny Cespedes prepares breakfast on her gas stove, Sept. 12, 2019, in Lawrence, Massachusetts. (Angela Rowlings/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / Getty Images) Roughly 35% of homes in the U.S. have gas stoves that, according to reports, release carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and other matter that the World Health Organization and EPA deemed unsafe because they can potentially cause cardiovascular problems, cancer and other health conditions. Trumka's remarks set off Republican lawmakers, who slammed the move as the "'nanny state' at its worst." In response to the outrage, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden does not support banning gas stoves. Trumka eventually walked back his comments, and U.S. Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric issued a statement clarifying there was no effort to ban gas stoves in the works. The Energy Department says its proposed energy efficiency standards for stovetop appliances would save a "significant amount" of energy, estimating the national energy savings to be "the equivalent of the electricity use of 19 million residential homes in one year." GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE The agency is now inviting the public to comment on the proposed rule. If enacted, the standards would apply to products manufactured or imported into the U.S. three years after the rule is finalized. FOX Business' Daniella Genovese and Sarah Rumpf contributed to this report. Source: Read Full Article
