The latest memo from the Department of Energy could be read as a ban on 96 percent of the gas stoves currently on the market, according to some reports. This would both decimate the industry and anger Americans, who see gas stoves as a major selling point for homes.
When did Americans invite Uncle Sam into the kitchen? That’s what probably many are wondering as the government has been working on a plan that could eliminate or make it much more difficult for people to have a gas stove in their home.
Apparently, the kitchen appliance, which is considered a luxury and home selling point, could cause some health issues and contribute to climate change. Ergo, your gas stove must go.
“That’s why we need to be talking about regulating gas stoves,” commissioner Richard Trumka, Jr., of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said in a December interview. “Whether that’s drastically improving emissions or banning gas stoves entirely. And I think we have to keep a possibility of that ban in mind as you follow along because it’s a powerful tool in our toolbox. It’s a real possibility here.”
And this isn’t just a small ban, but one that could have enormous consequences.
Through a new memo from the Department of Energy (DOE) suggests that 50 percent of the “gas stove models purchased across the U.S. today will no longer be eligible for purchase in stores.” It goes to pains to say that that doesn’t mean every stove will be electric, but it will force manufactures to go back to the drawing board and create something that complies with the government’s exacting standards.
“They were desperate to show better numbers because their analysis is such a poor justification of what they’re proposing,” said Jill Notini, vice president of communications and marketing at the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.
“It’s like they’re in such a rush to regulate these products, and they’re trying to cover their tracks,” Notini said. “But they’re doing an incredibly poor job of it. We have never seen this level of sloppy analysis from DOE before. We are not against standards. We’ve been at the table since the very beginning.”
She also points out that the technical 525-page technical support document showed that potentially 96 percent of the market doesn’t meet standards.
“Now we’ve got the DOE throwing out all common sense, prohibiting 96 percent of existing gas stoves,” Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said at a congressional hearing last week. “Just when I thought it couldn’t get more ridiculous, it did.”
And gas stoves aren’t just about making a good meal, but also a critical aspect of home sale market and even factors into the apartment market as well. Safety is a good thing, but this kind of unnecessary bureaucratic overreach is only for the sake of power and not for the people.
