Trump’s latest mission: Saving gas stoves from the far left — public health be damned | Opinion
.jpg "Donald Trump may issue an executive order “protecting” gas appliances from regulation.")
Compared to his other outrageous suggestions — annexing Canada, for instance, or retaking the Panama Canal — the possibility that President-Elect Donald Trump could issue an executive order “protecting” gas stoves from a potential ban seems almost reasonable.
Except for this: It’s an affront not only to the planet, but also to public health.
The hazards of gas appliances have been well-documented by reputable scientists.
Yet here comes Trump, who is reportedly considering an executive order that would “save” gas ranges from far-left environmentalists out to destroy perfectly good dryers, dishwashers, heaters, you name it.
Details ‘still under discussion’
Quoting unnamed sources, Reuters was among the first to report that Trump is considering an executive order on gas appliances. “Details of the executive order are still under discussion,” it wrote, “but are likely to mirror congressional effort to limit federal dollars for state and local initiatives that restrict gas-powered appliances or impose regulations that would increase this cost. ...”
Let’s clear the air.
First of all, a total ban on gas appliances was never on the table; at most, local governments proposed requiring that new construction be all-electric. Appliance police were never, ever going to burst into people’s homes to rip out their precious gas stoves.
Secondly, limiting the use of gas appliances is not some baseless, cockamamie liberal plot aimed at depriving consumers of their right to choose or forcing natural gas companies out of business.
Gas-powered stoves contribute to climate change; a Stanford University study found that methane leaking from gas stoves in the U.S. is comparable to carbon dioxide emissions from about 500,000 gas-powered cars. And here’s a disturbing fact: leaks occur even when stoves are not in use.
Even more concerning for the short-term, they also contribute to indoor pollution that’s harmful to health, particularly for children. (Stoves are particularly suspect, since unlike gas water heaters and clothes dryers, they are in a part of the house where everyone often congregates.)
Gas stoves have been linked to higher rates of childhood asthma — although there’s been some scientific controversy over that finding — and, more recently, to benzene pollution. Long-term exposure to benzene can lead to leukemia and other blood cancers, according to an article from the online publication Yale Climate Connections.
Last year, the California Legislature passed a bill that would have required a warning label on new gas stoves: “Gas stoves can release nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other harmful pollutants into the air, which can be toxic to people and pets. Stove emissions, especially from gas stoves, are associated with increased respiratory disease.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill.
“I am concerned that this bill codifies highly prescriptive labeling content that could only be changed by a future statutory amendment,” he wrote in a veto message. “This static approach falls short in enabling timely updates to the labeling content that should align with the latest scientific knowledge so that consumers are accurately informed about their purchases.”
Suggestion to the Legislature: Try again, with more generic wording.
Court already quashed partial ban
Several cities, including Sacramento, did attempt to ban gas appliances in new homes, but were blocked by a federal court ruling. Judges sided with the California Restaurant Association, which sued the city of Berkeley over its ban on gas appliances in new construction. The court held that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act preempts local governments from restricting energy use in such a way.
Apparently, that’s not enough of a win for Trump.
The question is, how far might he go?
Would states still be allowed to require that new construction be wired to support all-electric appliances and heating, as California does?
How about requiring wiring for battery storage units?
And would home energy rebates still be available for those who want to switch out gas appliances for electric?
Whatever the outcome, California cannot shy away from keeping citizens informed of the potential hazards posed by gas appliances and to provide as much financial assistance as possible to residents willing to voluntarily switch from gas to electric.
Our state has been a leader in developing green energy. Now it must encourage a transition away from natural gas, both for the sake of the planet and the health of Californians.
Don’t let an industry — or a president — stand in the way.
This story was originally published January 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
