To prohibit the Secretary of Energy from finalizing a proposed rule related to consumer conventional cooking products, and for other purposes.

Bill: 118-hr-3818
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]
Introduced: 2023-06-05
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Department of Energy

Oil and gas

Public utilities and utility rates
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-05
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill prohibits the Department of Energy from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the proposed rule titled <i>Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional Cooking Products; Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and announcement of public meeting</i> with respect to energy conservation standards for gas kitchen ranges and ovens, or any other substantially similar rule, including any rule that would directly or indirectly limit consumer access to gas kitchen ranges or ovens.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3818 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 5, 2023 Mr. Newhouse introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To prohibit the Secretary of Energy from finalizing a proposed rule related to consumer conventional cooking products, and for other purposes.

1. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) There has been increasing momentum at the local, State, and Federal level across the United States to disincentivize and forbid the use of natural gas stoves thereby curbing consumer choice, crippling manufacturers, and increasing energy prices. (2) On February 1, 2023, the Department of Energy initiated a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and published a Technical Support Document, which would establish maximum energy consumption standards annually for gas stove tops thereby barring manufacturers from selling gas stoves which consume over 1,204 British thermal units annually. (3) In the Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the Technical Support Document, the Department of Energy estimated only four percent of gas stove tops on the market met the proposed maximum rate of 1,204 British thermal units annually which would exclude 96 percent of gas stoves. (4) Shortly thereafter, on March 7, 2023, the Consumer Product Safety Commission published a notice to request information on chronic health hazards associated with gas stove ranges. (5) On March 20, 2023, in response to these ongoing efforts to ban the purchase and usage of natural gas stoves, 75 Members of Congress joined together and sent a letter to Secretary Granholm at the Department of Energy expressing significant concerns with the Department of Energy’s proposed rule and expressing opposition to the finalization of the proposed rule. (6) In early May 2023, New York approved a fiscal year 2024 State budget prohibiting the use of propane heating, furnaces, and natural gas stoves in residential buildings and requiring the use of all electric heating and cooking appliances in buildings smaller than seven stories by 2026 and for larger buildings by 2029. (7) On May 8, 2023, 11 city attorneys general from States such as Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and Washington submitted a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in support of the commission’s March 7, 2023, request for information on gas stoves and requesting compulsory regulations on gas stove ventilation standards. (8) On May 24, 2023, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability held a Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs hearing entitled Consumer Choice on the Backburner: Examining the Biden Administration’s Regulatory Assault on Americans’ Gas Stoves with industry experts to discuss the Department of Energy’s proposed rulemaking and the negative impact the proposed rules would have if finalized. (9) Natural gas is a safe, clean, and reliable energy source which is an vital component of an all-of-the-above strategic approach to energy development helping to ensure American energy security and independence. 2. Proposed rule on energy conservation standards for consumer conventional cooking products The Secretary of Energy may not finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed rule titled Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional Cooking Products; Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and announcement of public meeting (88 Fed. Reg. 6818; published February 1, 2023) with respect to energy conservation standards for gas kitchen ranges and ovens, or any substantially similar rule, including any rule that would directly or indirectly limit consumer access to gas kitchen ranges or ovens.