President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering issuing an executive order that would protect gas-powered appliances, such as stoves and heaters, as the Democratic Party has slowed its push for greener alternatives.
Two sources familiar with the plans told Reuters that the incoming president is weighing issuing an order that would likely limit federal funding for state or local initiatives restricting or raising the costs of gas stoves and heaters.
Trump gave a large endorsement for gas heaters during a Tuesday press conference at Mar-a-Lago, accusing the Biden administration of wanting to take all gas heaters out of U.S. homes and apartments.
“The heat is much better,” Trump said of gas-powered appliances. “It’s a much better heat. As the expression goes, you don’t itch.”
He went on to say power for gas heaters is “plentiful,” and they are “much cheaper to operate” than electric alternatives.
This came as Republican lawmakers and Trump have, for years, lambasted Democratic efforts to increase regulation for gas-powered appliances in new homes, apartments, and other buildings amid concerns over human health risks and dangerous methane emissions.
Many Democratic-run cities and states have pushed to ban natural gas-powered stoves in newly constructed homes, with New York becoming the first state to do so in 2021. Its ban is set to go into effect as soon as 2026. Berkeley, California, also passed a ban on natural gas hookups for new buildings and has been followed by other cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Voters in Democratic-led Washington state voted against the possibility of a similar measure during the November general election. More than half of the state’s voters support an initiative that blocks Washington’s building code council from barring, discouraging, or penalizing the use of natural gas in stoves and heaving.
While the state had no bans in place regarding gas-powered appliances, a state law was passed in early 2024 that sought to create incentives for utility companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while encouraging customers to reduce their personal emissions by opting for cleaner alternatives such as heat pumps or electric stoves.
The Biden administration also previously sought to further regulate the industry via the Department of Energy.
In 2023, the department issued first-of-its-kind draft efficiency standards for gas stoves that would have resulted in as many as half of the models on the market failing to meet standards. While the administration insisted it would not result in a so-called ban on the appliance, Republicans criticized the proposal as overreaching.
By January 2024, the department severely watered down the rules, affecting only 3% of gas stove models and 23% of electric stoves on the market.
The efficiency standards are set to take effect in 2028 and are expected to result in billions of savings for consumers as well as massive reductions in carbon emissions. The Department of Energy previously estimated that it would cause emissions to decrease by around 4 million metric tons cumulatively over the same time span.
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Amid possible increased protections for gas stoves, the appliances have notably come under fire for their effect on human health. Some research found that exposure to pollutants emitted by gas-powered stoves, such as nitrogen oxides, can result in tens of thousands of premature deaths, according to Reuters.
In January 2023, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission told the outlet that the agency was reviewing possible hazards associated with gas stoves, such as respiratory problems. However, the agency clarified that it has not proposed any regulatory action as any proposals would “involve a lengthy process.”