Eleven Democratic state attorneys general issued comments to the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Monday endorsing the agency’s efforts to regulate natural gas stoves.
Biden administration officials provoked controversy earlier this year when they introduced new emissions rules for gas stoves, even as increased adoption of the fuel serves as a significant driver of lower emissions in the United States. Backlash over the move emerged when CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said in an interview that gas stoves are a “hidden hazard” and declared that “any option is on the table” for a ban, after which CPSC Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric posted a statement asserting that the agency did not intend to outlaw gas stoves.
The attorneys general nevertheless said in comments on forthcoming CPSC regulations that they support the development of “voluntary standards or mandatory regulations that will reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants from gas stoves” which worsen indoor air quality. The officials added that the CPSC should “increase consumer awareness of the harms posed by gas stoves through more informative warning labels and public education.”
Some 38% of households nationwide currently use gas stoves, a figure which approaches 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. Families with a gas stove use the appliance an average of eight times per week.
The comments asserted that most states have already “recognized the health hazards posed by household gas appliances, including gas stoves, and have introduced and adopted policies and regulations that aim to mitigate those hazards” through mechanisms such as “supporting home electrification.” The attorneys general cited multiple legislative efforts to regulate the appliances, including a “net-zero building code” in Washington, D.C., that will effectively “ban most natural gas use in new buildings,” as well as a similar law in New York that will prohibit the installation of gas stoves in new homes and buildings.
The regulatory attention toward the appliances follows a letter from Democratic lawmakers last year expressing concern over “risks posed to consumers” by gas stoves. The comments from the attorneys general cited similar concerns, contending that low-income households and minority communities are especially vulnerable to air pollution from the devices.
“Pollution from gas stoves often has a disproportionate effect on households located in underserved communities, especially low-income households. In some instances, low-income housing conditions may contribute to a greater risk of exposure to pollutants from gas stoves,” the letter continued. “Those conditions include smaller unit sizes in multifamily housing, poor ventilation, use of a gas stove as a source of heat, and maintenance deficiencies.”
The call for regulatory action comes days after Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced new efficiency standards for dishwashers, vending machines, and electric motors. She said that the Biden administration is “using all of the tools at our disposal to save Americans money while promoting innovations that will reduce carbon pollution and combat the climate crisis.”
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The Energy Department has thereby introduced regulatory crackdowns for more than one dozen product categories this year, actions which agency officials contend are “preserving reliability and performance across household appliances and commercial and industrial equipment.” The Biden administration, which has established a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions, drafted several similar regulations over the past two years.