Biden Energy Dept. proposes new rules for gas stoves despite pushback against national ban comments

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy proposed new energy standards for gas stoves, months after consumer safety officials suggested the possibility of a nationwide ban, sparking backlash.

The Department of Energy's rules, open for public comment until April 3, would set “maximum integrated annual energy consumption” standards for gas stoves, and would require conventional ovens to have a control system that utilizes a linear power supply.

According to the department, the standards would be “technologically feasible and economically justified” and could yield “important and robust” climate benefits, such as reduced emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

The proposed rules follow a letter from Democratic lawmakers last year citing safety risks and climate change concerns associated with gas stoves.

However, the American Gas Association has argued that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has not conducted a meaningful study of the appliances, and that banning them would be “a misguided agenda that will not improve the environment or the health of consumers and would saddle vulnerable populations with significant costs.”

The Energy Department maintains that the standards do not constitute a ban, and that “every major manufacturer has products that meet or exceed the requirements proposed today,” according to a statement to NBC News.

According to data from the Energy Information Administration, 38% of households currently use gas stoves for cooking, with the figure reaching 70% in states such as California and New Jersey.

Karen Herbert, CEO of the American Gas Association, has said that the trade association will “carefully evaluate” the new rules in the coming weeks.

“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,” she said.