The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy Department</a> proposed new rules Wednesday that would mandate a certain energy consumption threshold for gas stoves even after the possibility of a nationwide ban garnered backlash.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said during an <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-09/us-safety-agency-to-consider-ban-on-gas-stoves-amid-health-fears?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> last month that gas stoves constitute a “hidden hazard” and said “any option is on the table” for a nationwide prohibition. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric later posted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/regulatory-agency-backs-down-says-there-are-no-plans-to-ban-gas-stoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> clarifying that neither he nor the agency planned to outlaw gas stoves after commentators balked at the suggestion. The Energy Department nevertheless proposed new <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/EERE-2014-BT-STD-0005-0096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> that would permit regulators to establish energy consumption standards on the appliances.
Gas stoves would be subjected to a new “maximum integrated annual energy consumption” standard under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The rules, for which the Energy Department will accept public comment until April 3, would mark a change from previous regulations that prohibited constant burning pilot lights in gas stoves but placed no limits on energy consumption. Conventional ovens would likewise not be permitted to have a control system that utilizes a linear power supply under the proposed rules.
The Energy Department said officials have “tentatively concluded that the proposed standards represent the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy.” The agency added that “products achieving these standard levels are already commercially available for all product classes covered by this proposal” and cited “important and robust” climate benefits.
“The proposed standards are likely to result in environmental benefits in the form of reduced emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases associated with energy production and use, including in-home emissions reductions experienced by consumers, and their families,” the proposed rules said.
American Gas Association CEO Karen Herbert told The Daily Wire that the trade association would &#8220;carefully evaluate&#8221; the new rules in the coming weeks. &#8220;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,&#8221; she remarked.
A spokesperson for the Energy Department said in a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gas-stove-debate-reignites-energy-department-proposes-new-rules-rcna68728" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> to NBC News that the new standards do not constitute bans on any appliances. “The proposed standards would not go into effect until 2027 and cumulatively save the nation up to $1.7 billion,” the spokesperson asserted. “Every major manufacturer has products that meet or exceed the requirements proposed today.”
Some 38% of households currently use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration. The regulatory attention toward the appliances follows a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/booker_beyer_lead_colleagues_in_urging_cpsc_to_address_dangerous_indoor_air_pollutions_emitted_by_gas_stoves.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> from Democratic lawmakers last year expressing concern over their “risks posed to consumers.” The officials also invoked climate change concerns when discussing phaseouts of gas stoves, even as increased adoption of natural gas serves as a significant driver of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wall-street-journal-blasts-joe-biden-john-kerry-for-pushing-self-destructive-green-energy-policies-while-china-burns-more-coal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower</a> emissions in the United States.
Critics of the possible regulatory action said the Consumer Product Safety Commission had not conducted a meaningful study of the appliances. “Attempts to generate consumer fears with baseless allegations to justify the banning of natural gas is a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would saddle vulnerable populations with significant costs,” the American Gas Association said in a <a href="https://www.aga.org/news/news-releases/aga-statement-on-the-international-journal-of-environmental-research-and-public-health-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.

Gas Flame

Biden Administration Proposes New Gas Stove Regulations Despite National Outrage Over Ban Comments

Biden Administration Proposes New Gas Stove Regulations Despite National Outrage

Biden Administration

Climate Change

Department of Energy

Energy

Oil and Gas

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oklahoma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oklahoma</a> Treasurer Todd Russ warned investment companies that they would lose access to state funds in two months if they fail to prove they are not involved in the environmental, social, and corporate governance movement, also known as <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/esg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESG</a>.
Russ sent a letter to several dozen financial companies, including asset managers BlackRock and Vanguard and investment banks JPMorgan Chase and UBS, warning that his office would enforce a <a href="http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20ENR/hB/HB2034%20ENR.PDF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">state law</a> passed last year against <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> company boycotts launched “without an ordinary business purpose.” Firms considered to be boycotting energy companies will be placed on a statewide list and will no longer be able to service government investments.
“Such a listing will prohibit Oklahoma governmental entities from investing in, and may potentially require divestment from your company, your company’s affiliates and subsidiaries, or investment vehicles affiliated with your company, its affiliates or subsidiaries,” said the letter obtained by The Daily Wire. “Your company may be presumed to be boycotting energy companies under Oklahoma law if you fail to timely respond to this request.”
The letter asks the companies whether they have “committed or pledged to meet environmental standards, such as reducing your greenhouse gas emissions, beyond applicable federal or state law” and whether they are members of the Net Zero Asset Managers or similar initiatives, under which firms <a href="https://www.netzeroassetmanagers.org/commitment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vow</a> to move portfolio companies closer toward eliminating net carbon emissions.
Vanguard recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vanguard-drops-out-of-climate-initiative-as-reaction-against-woke-investing-continues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opted to withdraw</a> from the initiative to “provide the clarity our investors desire about the role of index funds and about how we think about material risks, including climate-related risks,” according to a <a href="https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/corporatesite/us/en/corp/articles/update-on-nzam-engagement.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. The pivot occurred hours after lawmakers in the state of Texas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-subpoenas-schedules-hearing-for-blackrock-playing-politics-using-texans-hard-earned-money" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a hearing over asset managers’ alleged mismanagement of taxpayer dollars driven by ideological motives.
Russ, who assumed office last month, said in a statement provided to The Daily Wire that he immediately began assembling a list of companies that “act against Oklahoma’s interests” because of their endorsement of the ESG movement. Critics of the investment philosophy assert that the strategy seeks outcomes in social causes, such as reducing emissions and achieving racial diversity, in a manner that compromises or distracts from profit maximization.
“It is my responsibility to ensure Oklahoman’s tax dollars will not be used to enrich organizations that act counter to our taxpayers’ interests and our values,” Russ remarked. “This questionnaire provides an opportunity for financial companies to attest to their business actions as they relate to Oklahoma. Other states are taking similar steps, and Oklahoma joins them in asserting that we will not do business with financial companies who discriminate against or boycott our energy industries and businesses.”
The action comes after Republican state treasurers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/states-have-pulled-nearly-12-billion-from-blackrock-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">divested</a> some $12 billion from asset manager BlackRock last year over the firm’s promotion of the ESG movement. The Oklahoma Public Retirement System <a href="https://www.opers.ok.gov/investments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invested</a> roughly $7.4 billion through BlackRock investment products as of two years ago; Russ said that the fund now has $10 billion in assets, constituting more than 60% of its overall portfolio, invested with BlackRock.
Texas similarly passed a law against asset managers “refusing to deal with” companies involved in the production and use of fossil fuels “without an ordinary business purpose.” State lawmakers recently hosted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-subpoenas-schedules-hearing-for-blackrock-playing-politics-using-texans-hard-earned-money" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a> to determine the extent to which taxpayer funds were placed at risk as a result of firms’ adoption of ESG investment strategies.

Oklahoma State Capitol Building

Oklahoma Treasurer Puts Banks And Asset Managers On Notice, Moves To Purge ESG Investments From State Government

Oklahoma Moves To Purge ESG Investments From State Government

Oklahoma

Politics

One of the two sovereign wealth <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/stock-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funds</a> operated by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/norway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norway</a> saw losses as the entity divested from certain <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> companies, missing the chance to earn outsized returns in the sector.
The Government Pension Fund Global, which <a href="https://www.nbim.no/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">manages</a> more than $1.3 trillion in assets, reported a loss of $163 billion last year, constituting 14.1% of the overall fund. Performance slightly trailed a 12.8% decline in the STOXX 600 Index, which tracks major European firms.
“The market was impacted by war in Europe, high inflation, and rising interest rates,” Norges Bank Investment Management CEO Nicolai Tangen said in a <a href="https://www.nbim.no/en/the-fund/news-list/2023/negative-returns-in-a-challenging-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “This negatively impacted both the equity market and bond market at the same time, which is very unusual. All the sectors in the equity market had negative returns, with the exception of energy.”
Despite the outsized returns available in the energy sector, the Norwegian Parliament has <a href="https://www.nbim.no/en/the-fund/responsible-investment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decided</a> that “the fund should not be invested in companies that contribute to violations of fundamental ethical norms,” such as those that “base their operations on coal.” The Norwegian Ministry of Finance has likewise established ethics <a href="https://www.nbim.no/en/the-fund/responsible-investment/divestments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guidelines</a> for the fund’s investments such that managers cannot devote money toward companies that “do not conform to prevailing technological, regulatory or environmental trends” or impose “substantial costs on other companies and society as a whole.”
The Government Pension Fund Global is not <a href="https://www.regjeringen.no/en/historical-archive/solbergs-government/Ministries/fin/press-releases/2019/excludes-exploration-and-production-companies-from-the-government-pension-fund-global/id2631707/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">permitted</a> to invest in companies that engage in petroleum exploration and production, although managers may devote funds to companies that refine or sell the fuel. Among other entities, the fund is <a href="https://www.nbim.no/en/the-fund/responsible-investment/exclusion-of-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barred</a> from investing in Imperial Oil, the second-largest oil company in Canada. Although the fund believes Imperial Oil produces “unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions,” the company saw 27.4% stock market returns over the past year.
Investment funds that subscribe to the environmental, social, and corporate governance movement, also known as ESG, have suffered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virtue-signaling-isnt-free-how-woke-investing-fell-apart-once-the-economy-got-bad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heavy losses</a> over the past year. Harvard Management Company, which manages the elite university’s endowment, recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-university-endowment-loses-2-3-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> that its $2.3 billion loss was attributable to fossil fuel divestment efforts, even though the organization remains “proud to be deeply engaged in the issue of sustainability.”
Critics of the ESG movement assert that the strategy seeks outcomes in political and social causes, such as reducing carbon emissions and achieving racial diversity, in a manner that compromises the maximization of profits.
Government regulators under the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/esg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barred</a> American pension funds from “selecting investments based on non-pecuniary considerations” and required them to “base investment decisions on financial factors” alone. The Biden administration is nevertheless seeking to reverse the prohibition in order to safeguard the economy from “climate-related financial risk that may threaten the life savings and pensions of America’s workers and families.”
Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global was established in 1990 to invest surplus revenues from the country’s oil sector. Norwegian economist Arne Jon Isachsen and Icelandic economist Thorvaldur Gylfason recently contended in an <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2022/12/POV-putting-oil-profits-to-global-benefit-isachsen-gylfason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> for the International Monetary Fund that Norway “ought to quit pocketing its oil profits and start giving the money to countries that need help meeting their Paris Agreement climate change goals.”
“If Norway‘s future oil and gas revenues can help the global green shift, there would be good reason to continue pumping from the Norwegian shelf,” they wrote. “In this scenario, Norway&#8217;s extraction of fossil fuels would become fundamentally different from that of other countries.”

Equinor ASA Lift A Drilling Platform Onto The Biggest Ship In The World “Pioneering Spirit”

Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund Sheds Billions Amid Fossil Fuel Avoidance

Europe

Norway

Governor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin Newsom</a> (D-CA) claimed that his proposed “price gouging penalty” for <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/gas-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oil</a> companies would not prove harmful to residents of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a>.
The <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Price-Gouging-penalty-proposal-language.pdf?emrc=075304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposal</a>, introduced by State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D) at the end of last year, would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-moves-to-limit-oil-company-profits-in-energy-strapped-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compel</a> oil companies to reduce their profits in order to avoid a civil penalty from the California Energy Commission. Neither a penalty size nor an official profitability threshold appears in the legislation, which would also expand the agency’s authority to obtain information regarding price policies. Newsom claimed in a social media <a href="https://twitter.com/CAgovernor/status/1618753026990411776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> that oil companies had been advancing myths about the legislation and sought to rebut them.
“This is a price gouging penalty, and Californians won’t pay a cent for it. Only Big Oil will if they price gouge you at the pump to line their pockets,” he said in response to the claim that the legislation would effectively serve as another gas tax. “The penalty is about preventing price hikes from happening in the first place so money stays in your pockets. But if Big Oil companies violate the law by charging you excessive profits, they’ll be forced to pay the penalty, which will be refunded right back to you.”
However, when addressing the notion that he should temporarily pause the gas tax to alleviate price pressures, Newsom argued there would be “no guarantee” that oil companies would “pass down the savings” to customers. “Suspending the gas tax would only give oil companies a huge tax break,” he continued. “They’d collect even more profits while putting critical improvements to our roads and bridges, our infrastructure, at risk.”
Residents of California currently face the highest gas taxes in the United States; residents can expect to pay nearly $1.00 in state taxes and fees beyond the federal excise tax of $0.24 cents per gallon, according to <a href="https://www.api.org/-/media/Files/Statistics/State-Motor-Fuel-Taxes-Charts-january-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the American Petroleum Institute. The state also has the second-highest gas prices at $4.53 per gallon, second only to Hawaii, thereby exceeding the national average of $3.51 per gallon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from AAA.
Newsom also dismissed the argument that high taxes are partially responsible for elevated fuel costs. “When gas prices started skyrocketing in August and September, our gas tax and fees hadn’t changed a single cent. Not a cent. Big Oil won’t say why they suddenly started charging Californians a record $2.61 more per gallon than people in other states, but we know it resulted in record profits,” he remarked. “Our proposal includes some of the nation’s most aggressive transparency measures as well, so we can get answers and prevent it from happening again.”
Democratic lawmakers in the state have opposed measures that would temporarily <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gavin-newsom-opposes-republican-bid-to-pause-sky-high-gas-tax-because-it-would-help-petro-dictators-and-oil-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pause</a> the gas tax. Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R) introduced a bill last year that would have paused the tax for six months; a party line vote nevertheless rejected the measure. California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R) <a href="https://twitter.com/J_GallagherAD3/status/1618785899487318016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebutted</a> the social media video posted by Newsom. “This is code for a tax increase,” he contended. “One that would probably lead to long lines and higher gas prices.”

California Gov. Newsom And West Coast Leaders Sign Climate Agreement

‘This Is Code For A Tax Increase’: Gavin Newsom Revamps Call For Oil Industry ‘Price Gouging’ Penalties

Gavin Newsom Renews Calls For Oil 'Price Gouging' Penalties

California

Economy

Gas Prices

Gavin Newsom

Taxes

North Carolina authorities are <a href="https://www.wral.com/police-find-razor-blades-in-nc-gas-pump-handles/20688725/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">informing</a> the general public of a <a href="https://www.wyff4.com/article/police-razor-blades-forest-city-gas-pump-handles/42640598" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerning</a> <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/gas-pump-handles-razor-blades-crime/275-bb765692-aa91-4d4b-9417-10ca9bfaa1f0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">development</a> <a href="https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/police-warn-of-razor-blades-on-gas-pumps-handles-in-one-nc-city/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">involving</a> razor blades on the handles of gas pumps. 
Forest City Police Lieutenant Brandon Rothrock <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/3829687-razor-blades-placed-on-gas-pump-handles-in-north-carolina-city/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the sharp objects were discovered when the Department of Agriculture was conducting an inspection of the gas pumps. 
“[The inspector] made us aware. … He said that he was checking some yesterday and found some in Ellenboro at a Roco Station,” Rothrock said. “So, that led him to check some of our local stations, and he found one at 74 Junction.”
“Once he found several [on Tuesday], he realized it was an issue,” Rothrock also <a href="https://abc17news.com/cnn-regional/2023/01/25/razor-blades-found-on-numerous-gas-pump-handles-officials-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
The razors were discovered at several other sites. 
In an <a href="https://local.nixle.com/alert/9887207/?fbclid=IwAR0gmMtDXPH4M_MCfmULKUrAG4fJPx7GclJU-zIyiaZvs3HQS-oLw0dI9sQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advisory</a>, the Forest City Police Department <a href="https://sciotovalleyguardian.com/2023/01/25/rusty-razor-blades-found-on-gas-pump-handles-in-north-carolina/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=rusty-razor-blades-found-on-gas-pump-handles-in-north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “[o]fficers with the Forest City Police Department have located multiple instances of razor blades being placed in gas pump handles in Forest City and surrounding areas.&#8221;
&#8220;We are actively investigating these instances now in cooperation with the state Department of Agriculture and will follow up with more information when available. In the meantime, please be aware of your surroundings while pumping gas and always check before grabbing the gas pump handle. Thank you and stay safe,” it added. 
One of the 74 Junction gas station’s customers, Dan O’Bryan, commented on the odd situation. 
“This particular gas station, I’m pretty much here every single morning, because I work just two minutes down the road from here,” O’Bryan said.
“I’m not surprised, but that’s definitely good to know. I’ll tell my wife about it,” he noted.
Rothrock implored people to be careful when they go to fuel up in order to make sure that they don’t get hurt. 
“If you’re pumping gas, check. Look before you grab. Protect yourself however you need to,” Rothrock noted. “It’s going to take some hours of reviewing video to see if we can come up with a suspect.”
“There is no explanation as to why someone would do this,” he said.
Rothrock also said no one has been hurt by the razors yet, but the amount of time the sharp objects have been on the gas pump handles is not clear. It is also not known who carried out the strange acts. 
“With these times — germs and things anyway — maybe wear gloves. Until we can come up with a solid answer,” he said. 
“It’s very scary, especially whenever kids pump the gas for their parents,” Brandy Hagan reportedly <a href="https://abc17news.com/cnn-regional/2023/01/25/razor-blades-found-on-numerous-gas-pump-handles-officials-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> while filling up. 
The state Department of Agriculture is carrying out an investigation into the events.

A Fuel Pump

Razor Blades Found On North Carolina Gas Pumps

Crime

North Carolina

U.S.

Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) proposed legislation on Wednesday barring the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">federal government</a> from banning stoves powered by <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a>.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr remarked in a Monday <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-09/us-safety-agency-to-consider-ban-on-gas-stoves-amid-health-fears?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Bloomberg that gas stoves present a “hidden hazard” and said “any option is on the table” for banning the appliances. Huizenga introduced the Stop Trying to Obsessively Vilify Energy Act, also known as the STOVE Act, in reaction to the comments.
“The last thing Americans need or want is another big government bureaucratic decision telling us which appliance we can have in our home,” Huizenga said in a <a href="https://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401521" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “The STOVE Act is a common-sense measure that will stop bureaucrats from banning gas stoves or ranges. Americans should have the ability to choose the most affordable and most available way to cook food in their own home. It is absolutely ridiculous how out of control and out of touch the nanny state in Washington has become.”
Some 38% of American households use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration.
The <a href="https://huizenga.house.gov/uploadedfiles/huizen_001_xml.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legislation</a> says no federal agency “may propose, implement, or finalize a rule or guidance that restricts or bans the use and purchase of gas-powered stoves, cooktops, ranges, or ovens” in the United States. Introduction of the bill follows a <a href="https://twitter.com/HoehnSaricCPSC/status/1613200634194415616" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from CPSC Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric clarifying that neither he nor the agency is planning to ban gas stoves after the comments from Trumka, an appointee of President Joe Biden and the son of former AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, garnered nationwide controversy.
Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) also supported the STOVE Act, asserting that a potential ban on gas stoves is an “attempt to advance the Green New Deal” at the expense of rural communities who “rely heavily on gas powered stoves and heaters.”
The recent regulatory attention toward the appliances follows a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/booker_beyer_lead_colleagues_in_urging_cpsc_to_address_dangerous_indoor_air_pollutions_emitted_by_gas_stoves.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> from Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and other lawmakers voicing concern over the “risks posed to consumers” by gas stoves and claiming that side effects could be heightened depending upon one’s racial identity. “Statistics show that Black, Latino, and low-income households are more likely to experience disproportionate air pollution,” the letter contended, “either from being more likely to be located near a waste incinerator or coal ash site, or living in smaller homes with poor ventilation, malfunctioning appliances, mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke, lead dust, pests, and other maintenance deficiencies.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1612973043583696897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1612973363059884032%7Ctwgr%5E75e5a81f31bd061f5ec925000ec219a320356f81%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Frecipe-for-disaster-joe-manchin-bucks-aoc-says-he-wont-give-up-his-gas-stove%3Futm_source%3Dpartnerutm_campaign%3Dconservnewsd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> more recently that “ongoing exposure” from the nitrogen oxide produced by gas stoves is “linked to reduced cognitive performance.” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), on the other hand, <a href="https://twitter.com/Sen_JoeManchin/status/1612903995605147649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1612903998301806611%7Ctwgr%5E75e5a81f31bd061f5ec925000ec219a320356f81%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Frecipe-for-disaster-joe-manchin-bucks-aoc-says-he-wont-give-up-his-gas-stove%3Futm_source%3Dpartnerutm_campaign%3Dconservnewsd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the government “has no business telling American families how to cook their dinner” and suggested that lawmakers should “reevaluate” the CPSC.
The American Gas Association claimed in a <a href="https://www.aga.org/news/news-releases/aga-statement-on-the-international-journal-of-environmental-research-and-public-health-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that the CPSC did not consider scientific literature on the dangers of gas stoves when floating the ban. “Attempts to generate consumer fears with baseless allegations to justify the banning of natural gas is a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would saddle vulnerable populations with significant costs,” the trade association said.

Nine Justice Presser

‘Out Of Touch’: Republican Introduces Bill To Prevent ‘Nanny State In Washington’ From Banning Gas Stoves

Republican Introduces Bill To Stop Government From Banning Gas Stoves

Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric said on Wednesday that the regulatory agency has no plans to prohibit <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a> stoves after one of his colleagues hinted that a ban could be possible.
CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said during an <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-09/us-safety-agency-to-consider-ban-on-gas-stoves-amid-health-fears?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Bloomberg that gas stoves constitute a “hidden hazard” and said “any option is on the table” for banning the popular appliances. Hoehn-Saric posted a <a href="https://twitter.com/HoehnSaricCPSC/status/1613200634194415616" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> clarifying that neither he nor the agency is planning to prohibit gas stoves after the comments from Trumka, an appointee of President Joe Biden and the son of former AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, garnered nationwide controversy.
“Over the past several days, there has been a lot of attention paid to gas stove emissions,” Hoehn-Saric remarked. “Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so.”
Hoehn-Saric is the principal executive officer of the CPSC, while Trumka is one of the three other commissioners that serve as leaders of the agency, which is charged with “reducing the unreasonable risk of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products.” Recent actions from the agency include the <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/Peloton-Agrees-to-Pay-19-Million-Civil-Penalty-for-Failure-to-Immediately-Report-Tread-Treadmill-Entrapment-Hazards-and-for-Distributing-Recalled-Treadmills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">imposition</a> of a $19 million civil penalty against Peloton for failing to report a defect in one of its treadmills, as well as the <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Immediately-Stop-Using-and-Safely-Store-Butterfly-Express-Essential-Oils-Including-Wintergreen-Birch-and-Other-Blends-Due-to-Failure-to-Meet-Child-Resistant-Packaging-Requirements-Risk-of-Poisoning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publication</a> of a warning against using certain essential oils from Butterfly Express.
Hoehn-Saric indicated that the CPSC will continue examining the safety of gas appliances. “CPSC is researching gas emissions in stoves and exploring new ways to address health risks,” he continued. “CPSC also is actively engaged in strengthening voluntary safety standards for gas stoves. And later this spring, we will be asking the public to provide us with information about gas stove emissions and potential solutions for reducing any associated risks.”
Some 38% of American households use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration. The recent regulatory attention toward the appliances follows a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/booker_beyer_lead_colleagues_in_urging_cpsc_to_address_dangerous_indoor_air_pollutions_emitted_by_gas_stoves.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> from Democratic lawmakers expressing concern over their “risks posed to consumers.”
“Statistics show that Black, Latino, and low-income households are more likely to experience disproportionate air pollution,” the letter contended, “either from being more likely to be located near a waste incinerator or coal ash site, or living in smaller homes with poor ventilation, malfunctioning appliances, mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke, lead dust, pests, and other maintenance deficiencies.”
Critics of the possible regulatory action say the CPSC has not conducted a meaningful study of the appliances. “Attempts to generate consumer fears with baseless allegations to justify the banning of natural gas is a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would saddle vulnerable populations with significant costs,” the American Gas Association said in a <a href="https://www.aga.org/news/news-releases/aga-statement-on-the-international-journal-of-environmental-research-and-public-health-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
Democratic lawmakers have also invoked concerns over climate change when discussing phaseouts of gas stoves. Increased adoption of natural gas is nevertheless a significant driver of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wall-street-journal-blasts-joe-biden-john-kerry-for-pushing-self-destructive-green-energy-policies-while-china-burns-more-coal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower</a> carbon emissions in the United States.

Stove Top

Regulatory Agency Backs Down, Says There Are No Plans To Ban Gas Stoves

No Plans To Ban Gas Stoves, Top Regulator Says

The American Gas Association criticized federal regulators for considering a ban on stoves powered by <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a>.
Richard Trumka Jr., a commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and an appointee of President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a>, remarked during a Monday <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-09/us-safety-agency-to-consider-ban-on-gas-stoves-amid-health-fears?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Bloomberg that gas stoves present a “hidden hazard” and said “any option is on the table” with respect to banning the popular appliances. Trumka, the son of former AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, later <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/TrumkaCPSC/status/1612553459462721536" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clarified</a> that any ban would only apply to “new products” after criticism from lawmakers and commentators.
A <a href="https://www.aga.org/news/news-releases/aga-statement-on-the-international-journal-of-environmental-research-and-public-health-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from the American Gas Association contended that the Consumer Product Safety Commission relied upon a study in which the authors “conducted no measurements or tests based on real-life appliance usage” and ignored former literature.
“Regulators, like the Consumer Products Safety Commission, should rely on real data and science not unsubstantiated claims of advocates,” the trade association said. “Attempts to generate consumer fears with baseless allegations to justify the banning of natural gas is a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would saddle vulnerable populations with significant costs.”
The organization cited another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24429203/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> that examined the effects of gas stoves on more than 500,000 children and found “no evidence of an association between the use of gas as a cooking fuel and either asthma symptoms or asthma diagnosis.” Some 38% of American households use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure approaching 70% for states such as California and New Jersey, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53439" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration.
Increased adoption of natural gas is a significant driver of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wall-street-journal-blasts-joe-biden-john-kerry-for-pushing-self-destructive-green-energy-policies-while-china-burns-more-coal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decreasing</a> carbon emissions in the United States. The statement from the American Gas Association noted that the substance serves as an “essential back up fuel” and enables the “growth of renewables.”
Regulatory scrutiny of gas stoves follows a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/booker_beyer_lead_colleagues_in_urging_cpsc_to_address_dangerous_indoor_air_pollutions_emitted_by_gas_stoves.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> from Democratic lawmakers to the Consumer Product Safety Commission expressing concern over “the risks posed to consumers” generated by the appliances. “These emissions can create a cumulative burden to households that are already more likely to face higher exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollution,” the letter said. “Statistics show that Black, Latino, and low-income households are more likely to experience disproportionate air pollution, either from being more likely to be located near a waste incinerator or coal ash site, or living in smaller homes with poor ventilation, malfunctioning appliances, mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke, lead dust, pests, and other maintenance deficiencies.”
The Biden administration has also unveiled plans to electrify some federal buildings by leveraging renewable energy technologies, according to a <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-steps-electrify-and-cut-emissions-federal-buildings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from the Department of Energy. A recent <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/doe-clean-energy-snopr.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the agency acknowledged that the cost of clean electricity is more than four times higher than the cost of natural gas.
The White House is pursuing a “whole-of-government approach to put climate change at the center of our domestic, national security, and foreign policy,” according to a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/01/27/remarks-by-president-biden-before-signing-executive-actions-on-tackling-climate-change-creating-jobs-and-restoring-scientific-integrity/#:~:text=It%27s%20a%20whole%2Dof%2Dgovernment,We%27re%20bold." target="_blank" rel="noopener">speech</a> delivered by Biden days after his inauguration. The commander-in-chief has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-will-spend-nearly-10-billion-on-electric-vehicles-for-the-postal-service" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advanced</a> incentives for electric vehicles, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keystone-pipeline-dead-killed-by-biden-thousands-of-jobs-lost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nixed</a> the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-severely-cuts-back-on-oil-and-gas-leases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leased</a> less federal land for oil drilling than his predecessors.

‘A Misguided Agenda’: Natural Gas Group Shreds Biden Administration For Weighing Gas Stove Ban

American Gas Association Blasts Biden Over Possible Gas Stove Ban

Multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colleges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">universities</a> in the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a> have prohibited <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fossil fuel</a> companies from recruiting students on campus in the name of battling <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a>.
Fossil Free Careers, a project led by the activist group People and Planet, demands that postsecondary institutions prevent companies in the “oil, gas, and mining industries” from attending careers fairs or listing their vacancies on career websites. Birkbeck, University of London, is named by the group as its “first campaign win.”
The school’s policy formerly said that the career services department will “not hold relationships of any kind with oil, gas or mining companies as part of our commitment to increased sustainability and addressing the climate crisis,” as listed on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220928050700/https:/www.bbk.ac.uk/student-services/careers-service/ethical-careers-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">web archives</a> and the People and Planet website. As <a href="https://peopleandplanet.org/fossil-free-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed</a> by Birkbeck student Bryn Richards, who questioned a number of university officials about the move, the school later removed the reference to “oil, gas or mining” and instead committed to turning down relationships “with any companies that have not demonstrated a commitment to positive environmental and ethical business models.”
Richards noted that the <a href="https://www.bbk.ac.uk/student-services/careers-service/ethical-careers-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new policy</a> is conceivably worse than the former prohibition, as the latter provides more room for interpretation. “This is part of our commitment to increased sustainability and addressing the climate crisis,” the current rule continues. “This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at careers events and other recruitment opportunities, posting role vacancies, sponsorships, and advertising.”
University of the Arts London, the University of Bedfordshire in England, and Wrexham Glyndwr University in Wales have since adopted fossil-free recruitment policies, according to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/01/fossil-fuel-recruiters-banned-from-three-more-uk-universities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Guardian. The policies come as energy prices in the United Kingdom soar to record levels amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine; former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-next-british-prime-minister-decided-after-rivals-bow-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replaced</a> by fellow lawmaker Rishi Sunak two months ago, had pushed for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/strengthening-our-energy-resilience-britain-ends-fracking-ban-will-become-net-exporter-by-2040" target="_blank" rel="noopener">higher fossil fuel production</a> and established the goal of becoming a net exporter of energy by 2040.
Some have attributed the outsized energy prices across Europe to overreliance on renewable energy sources. The European Union, from which the United Kingdom has recently exited, abides by the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official goal</a> of becoming “a climate-neutral society” by 2050 in accordance with the European Green Deal and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Similar activist groups in the United States have encouraged universities to pull investments from the fossil fuel industry and otherwise advocate for a decrease in carbon emissions. Divest Harvard <a href="https://divestharvard.medium.com/tireless-organizing-yields-harvard-divestment-victory-b68f43b271a1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">celebrated</a> last year after Harvard President Lawrence Bacow <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvards-endowment-suffers-through-woke-investing-while-the-university-of-texas-drills-oil-and-rakes-it-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that the university would allow remaining investments in the sector to expire while refusing to adopt new ones. “For too long, Harvard has stood on the wrong side of history, lending legitimacy to the companies driving global warming and environmental injustice,” the group said.
Divestment moves occur as part of a broader trend among some institutional investors toward the environmental, social, and governance movement, also known as ESG, which has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virtue-signaling-isnt-free-how-woke-investing-fell-apart-once-the-economy-got-bad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suffered</a> over the past year as the energy sector witnesses outsized profitability. Harvard Management Company, which manages the elite university’s endowment, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/harvard-university-endowment-loses-2-3-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> last month that a recent $2.3 billion loss on its $51 billion endowment was attributable to fossil fuel divestment efforts, though the organization remains “proud to be deeply engaged in the issue of sustainability.”

Oil Well, Maricopa, CA,USA

Colleges Ban Oil And Gas Companies From Recruiting Students

Colleges Ban Fossil Fuel Companies From Recruiting Students

College

United Kingdom

Canary CEO Dan Eberhart pinned low oil production on <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> policies intended to accelerate a rapid pivot toward renewable <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a>.
The executive of the oilfield services company said during an <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/energy/oil-industry-exec-rips-biden-admin-throwing-wet-blankets-energy-hurting-pocketbooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo that regulations and idealism regarding the energy transition have decreased output and worsened inflationary pressures for households.
&#8220;The administration just keeps throwing wet blankets at the industry, death by a thousand cuts,&#8221; Eberhart remarked, noting that production has declined 10% since the Trump administration despite higher oil prices. “Why is that? Because the administration is not being helpful and not trying to increase supply, and it&#8217;s hurting consumers and they just don&#8217;t seem to care.&#8221;
Biden has emphasized green energy while <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-severely-cuts-back-on-oil-and-gas-leases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leasing less federal land</a> for oil and gas drilling than any administration since the end of World War II. Soon after his inauguration, Biden also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keystone-pipeline-dead-killed-by-biden-thousands-of-jobs-lost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discontinued</a> expansions to the Keystone XL pipeline project. The administration began <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-to-release-more-oil-from-strategic-reserve-ahead-of-midterms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">releasing</a> 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a stock of emergency crude oil created to manage supply disruptions in energy markets, earlier this year.
&#8220;President Biden has canceled the offshore lease auctions,” Eberhart added. “He stopped fracking on federal land and the permitting process, which is really what&#8217;s important, not the leases, the permits are coming out of the administration much slower than they were out of the Trump administration.”
Democrats have contended that windfall profits in the fossil fuel sector are attributable to corporate price gouging rather than supply constraints. Some lawmakers in the state of California are attempting to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-moves-to-limit-oil-company-profits-in-energy-strapped-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduce</a> a price gouging penalty; member states of the European Union are likewise preparing to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-union-social-market-economy-might-redistribute-fossil-fuel-profits">tax</a> surplus oil and gas revenues.
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry remarked during a Thursday <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2022/12/08/this-is-climate-us-climate-agenda/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with The Washington Post that the energy transition is not occurring “fast enough,” claiming that policymakers can no longer “run around and do one bespoke deal here, another bespoke deal there.” Eberhart called the sentiment tone-deaf, particularly given current recessionary risks.
&#8220;I think what he said is preposterous,&#8221; he reacted. &#8220;I&#8217;d like to see economic growth six times faster, and I&#8217;d like to see construction projects happen 20 times faster. But, look, there&#8217;s a difference between politicians and business, and business can only produce so much. And we&#8217;ve got to move incrementally. We&#8217;ve got to get done what we can get done.”
The White House has also been the subject of criticism for soliciting higher oil output abroad while suppressing production domestically. The government of Saudi Arabia revealed the commander-in-chief requested that OPEC refrain from cutting oil production until after the midterm elections. More recently, he began <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-to-ease-sanctions-on-socialist-venezuela-releases-maduros-convicted-narco-trafficker-nephews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">easing sanctions</a> on Venezuela so that Chevron, an American oil company, could resume production in the socialist nation.
&#8220;The government should really focus on helping America and helping America&#8217;s national security position and helping American consumers,&#8221; Eberhart said. &#8220;The Biden administration, they&#8217;re not looking to Texas and North Dakota for more oil. They&#8217;re looking to Venezuela, they&#8217;re looking to Saudi Arabia. I think it&#8217;s absolutely ridiculous being in the oil industry. It absolutely drives me crazy that they don&#8217;t look to Texas for more oil, to North Dakota for oil.&#8221;

President Biden Delivers Remarks On Preserving And Protecting Democracy

‘Death By A Thousand Cuts’: Oil Executive Details How Biden Is A Drag On The Industry

Oil Executive Explains How Biden Is A Drag On The Industry

Saudi Arabia

Venezuela

Democratic <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> Governor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin Newsom</a> unveiled a “price gouging penalty” for <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oil</a> companies this week as Golden State lawmakers assembled to deliberate <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> policy.
The <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Price-Gouging-penalty-proposal-language.pdf?emrc=075304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposal</a>, introduced by State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-CA), would compel oil companies to reduce their profits to avoid a civil penalty from the California Energy Commission. Neither a penalty size nor an official profitability threshold appears in the proposal, which would also expand the agency’s authority to obtain information regarding price policies.
“Big Oil has been lying and gouging Californians to line their own pockets long enough,” Newsom said in a <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/12/05/governor-newsom-unveils-price-gouging-penalty-on-big-oils-excessive-profits-to-protect-californians-from-being-ripped-off/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “I look forward to the work ahead with our partners in the Legislature to get this done.”
Newsom <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/11/30/governor-newsom-convenes-special-session-to-hold-oil-industry-accountable-for-price-gouging-keep-money-in-californians-pockets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convened</a> a special session of state lawmakers on Monday to consider the price gouging policy, which as many as 60% of Californians support, according to a recent <a href="https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/energy/new-poll-shows-more-60-californians-support-windfall-profits-cap-oil-refiners">poll</a> from Consumer Watchdog. Legislators only held the session for minutes before adopting rules and appointing new leadership, according to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-california-legislature-sacramento-gavin-newsom-f67b8f4a8e0d7a978d4bf34ada1ea256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Associated Press.
“Putting the Governor’s proposal in print allows the Legislature and the public to begin discussions on this important issue,” Skinner remarked in the press release. “No one can deny that California’s gas prices were outrageously high compared to other states. And those high prices hurt California consumers and businesses.”
Indeed, average gas prices in California are presently $4.66 per gallon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from AAA, far surpassing national average gas prices at $3.36 per gallon. The press release nevertheless lauded Newsom for purportedly reducing prices at the pump from a high of $6.42 per gallon earlier this year. President Joe Biden has made similar <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-takes-victory-lap-as-gas-prices-inch-downward-still-nearly-twice-as-high-since-his-first-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims</a> amid the nationwide decrease in gas prices, which are currently 41% higher than costs recorded on his first day in the White House.
The price gouging policy occurs after the California Air Resources Board <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-expected-to-ban-sale-of-new-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued new rules</a> requiring 35% of new vehicles in the state to produce zero emissions by 2026, a standard that will rise to a 68% level by 2030 and a 100% level by 2035. Experts have warned that the state’s electric grid, which often makes national headlines for experiencing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-asks-residents-to-avoid-charging-electric-vehicles-due-to-blackout-risk-days-after-unveiling-new-gas-car-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widespread blackouts</a>, will require upgrades to manage a rapid transition away from internal combustion vehicles.
Renewable energy sources such as biomass, solar, and wind were responsible for one-third of the state’s power generation as of two years ago, according to <a href="https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2021-total-system-electric-generation/2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the California Energy Commission.
Congressional Democrats have also attributed rising energy costs to price gouging. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosi-pushes-democratic-bill-that-would-give-biden-power-to-control-gas-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support</a> earlier this year for legislation that would permit the president to declare an “energy emergency,” granting him the ability to regulate prices by preventing fuel companies from selling their products at rates deemed to be “unconscionably excessive” and “exploiting” such an emergency.

Newsom Moves To Limit Oil Company Profits In Energy-Strapped California

Newsom Proposes Measure To Limit Oil Company Profits In Energy-Strapped California

A ranking Republican on the House Oversight Committee is launching a broad probe into reports of President Joe Biden&#8217;s &#8220;secret deal&#8221; with Saudi Arabia ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
Rep. James Comer (R-KY) is calling on leaders at the Department of Energy (DOE), State Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to explain Biden&#8217;s strategy.
&#8220;The Committee is investigating reports of a &#8216;secret deal to boost oil production&#8217; between the Biden Administration and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,&#8221; Comer wrote in a <a href="https://republicans-oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-12-4-Saudi-Secret-Deal.pdf">letter</a> to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, citing a New York Times article from October.
“If his Administration is engaging in backdoor market manipulations with adversarial nations while jeopardizing our national security for the sake of securing more favorable election conditions for Democrats, the American people have a right to know,” he continued.
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The information was requested by December 19.
Comer is expected to become the chair of the House Oversight Committee when Republicans return to the majority in the House next year. Along with other GOP leaders, the congressman is concerned about an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/25/us/politics/us-saudi-oil-deal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alleged effort</a> with Saudi Arabia&#8217;s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and other OPEC+ nations to cut oil production by two million barrels per day in October.
American gas prices began climbing shortly afterward ahead of the midterms.
“Since day one in office, President Biden has waged war on American-made energy and driven up costs for Americans,&#8221; Comer <a href="https://republicans-oversight.house.gov/release/comer-presses-for-docs-about-president-bidens-energy-crisis-secret-deal-with-saudi-arabia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;President Biden has unilaterally shut down the Keystone XL pipeline, implemented a moratorium on oil and gas production on federal lands, drained critical oil reserves, and pushed policies that directly resulted in skyrocketing energy prices. With one-party Democrat rule in Washington, they’ve weaponized their unchecked power, waged a war against American-made energy production, and forced Green New Deal policies on the American people.”
“Oversight Republicans have pushed senior Biden Administration officials for answers and will continue to seek their plans to reverse energy policies detrimental to the American people and our national security. With the power of the gavel, we will hold the Biden Administration responsible for recklessly attacking a critical industry that provides the American people affordable energy and good-paying job opportunities,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨NEW🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/RepJamesComer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepJamesComer</a> launches probe into President Biden’s energy crisis that is harming the pocketbooks of Americans.
He is calling on senior leadership to provide information related to the Biden Administration’s failed policies.<a href="https://t.co/6wsLrQrhZ5">https://t.co/6wsLrQrhZ5</a>
&mdash; Oversight Committee Republicans (@GOPoversight) <a href="https://twitter.com/GOPoversight/status/1599439154760122368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Saudi Arabia has long served as a concern over human rights.
The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youre-letting-him-get-away-with-murder-jake-tapper-torches-biden-for-giving-saudi-prince-a-pass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> regarding the Saudi crown prince claiming immunity in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. WaPo publisher Fred Ryan criticized Biden when the news was reported, accusing the president of effectively granting a “license to kill.&#8221;

Biden in Saudi Arabia

GOP Rep Launches Probe Into Reports Of Biden’s ‘Secret Deal’ With Saudi Arabia Ahead Of Midterms

Joe Biden

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