Democrats supporting a ban on natural gas stoves faced another roadblock in the effort to restrict the popular appliance after a federal court struck down Berkeley, California’s ban on natural gas hookups.
Berkeley was one of the municipalities that voted to ban the kitchenware. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the ban contradicts the power of Congress to regulate such appliances.
The court decided unanimously that the ban on stoves violated the 1975 Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which will likely have large implications for other anti-gas efforts. The act gives the power to regulate such stoves to Washington, meaning that other local and state restrictions may also be struck down.
The ‘soft’ ban on appliances by prohibiting hookups is not allowed, according to the court.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission considered banning gas stoves over health concerns. The initial trial balloon regarding gas stoves was not well-received.
While the commission pulled back the plan after public backlash, the Energy Department considered sharp increases in gas stove efficiency requirements.
The public reaction was so fierce that the Biden White House had to issue a hasty clarification, claiming that the planned regulation wouldn’t ban such stoves.
However, the action of the regulators clearly intended to restrict such stovetops.
Furthermore, multiple states and localities have discussed, or passed, bans on natural gas stoves.
Some Democrats even disavowed the wider plan to limit the stoves. More than two dozen Democrats in Congress joined a Republican rebuke of the potential federal gas stove ban.
The defection of 29 Democrats led to a lopsided 251-181 vote in the House in support of a bill amendment intended to ban the Department of Energy from issuing severe restrictions on gas stoves.
One prominent back of the gas stove restrictions is New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who was then caught using one.
Republicans continued their efforts to prevent a gas stove ban. A group of 13 GOP senators penned a letter to the Department of Energy opposing such a move.
The Biden admin’s attempt to ban the gas stoves that feed our families will have far reaching consequences.
Gas stoves are far more beneficial than these unrealistic standards acknowledge.https://t.co/AvVK1juIKC
— Jim Risch (@SenatorRisch) April 18, 2023
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) told Fox News this week that the proposed ban is “wildly out of touch with the American people and insensitive to the financial hardship the White House has pushed on families from their reckless economic policies.”
