A coalition of 11 Democrat attorneys general asked federal regulators to crack down on natural gas-powered stoves, citing health risks.
Washington, DC, Attorney General Brian Schwalb led a letter sent to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Monday. He was joined by attorneys general from Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and New York City.
NEW: Today, I’m leading 11 AGs calling for federal action to address the health & safety risks of gas stoves, which emit pollutants that have a disparate negative impact on children & underserved communities and put DC residents at risk of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
— AG Brian Schwalb (@DCAttorneyGen) May 8, 2023
“The emissions from gas stoves pose severe health risks, especially for sensitive groups and underserved communities,” the letter said.
“In sum, the presence of gas stoves in households, even when not in use, can lead to indoor air pollution levels that pose a severe health risk, especially for particularly susceptible consumers, such as children, and for households in underserved communities,” the letter added.
The Democrat attorneys general urged the CPSC to “implement uniform mandatory standards for gas stove ventilation.”
“In addition, the states urge the CPSC to increase consumer awareness of the harms posed by gas stoves through more informative warning labels and public education,” they added.
They claimed consumers are “inadequately informed” about the hazards of gas stoves due to getting their health and safety information from “the internet, social media, and other non-authoritative sources.”
The letter said:
Over the past several decades, a significant amount of evidence has accumulated raising concerns about the pollutants from gas stoves found in U.S households. Most of the research and evidence on the health risks associated with elevated levels of emissions from gas appliances has been circulated among decision makers and engaged stakeholders. This has left the public to try to piece together health and safety information— which can be false or misleading—from the internet, social media, and other non-authoritative sources.12 Thus, when it comes to gas stove emissions, consumers are presently unprotected against, and inadequately informed about, the health hazards these appliances pose.
The letter comes as Democrats nationwide have made gas stoves the latest target of their radical climate agenda.
In January, a CPSC commissioner claimed a natural gas stove ban is a “real possibility.” However, after backlash from conservatives, the CPSC backtracked Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr.’s comments and said they are not going to ban gas stoves.
Still, the New York legislature last week passed a law that bans gas stoves from new buildings. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) defended the bill, saying, “We do have to transition.”
However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit struck down a California city’s ban on gas stoves last month, ruling that federal regulations preempt state and local officials’ attempts to regulate natural gas.
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.
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