Joe Biden is not coming for your gas stove

A year ago, a Biden administration official set off a firestorm when he suggested the Consumer Product Safety Commission could ban gas stoves, because they have been linked to childhood asthma. Cue the outrage.

A year ago, a Biden administration official set off a firestorm when he suggested the Consumer Product Safety Commission could ban gas stoves, because they have been linked to childhood asthma. Cue the outrage. On Monday, the administration released its new standards. Your gas stove is safe. The US Energy Department announced new energy efficiency standards for ovens and stoves, and the big takeaway is: Not much is changing. The department assured that the vast majority of gas stoves on the market – 97% – already meet the standards. The main target of the new efficiency standards is electric stoves, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project said, ensuring that all new models of smooth-top units use at least 30% less energy than the lowest-performing models today. At least 77% of the electric ranges already meet those standards. “It’s a modest money saver for consumers, with changes that would be challenging to even notice. There was disagreement over this stoves rule last year, but then the stakeholders came together and resolved it,” said Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, in a statement. The new efficiency standards align with a plan released in September 2023 by a group of stakeholders, including ASAP, which is made up of home appliance manufacturers and consumer, climate and efficiency advocates.