Gas stove legislation is bipartisan effort

By now, you have probably seen the news about a possible federal “ban” on gas cooking appliances. This refers to the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposed energy conservation standard for gas stoves which, according to DOE’s own analysis, would prohibit manufacturers from selling a majority of the gas stove models that are currently available.

If the DOE’s proposal were to take effect as proposed, most Nevada households — 60 percent of whom cook with gas — will be in a position to feel the effects. And those effects will be significant. Manufacturers will be forced to radically redesign gas cooking appliances to meet the standard’s requirements, meaning many of the features Nevadans rely on to cook for themselves and their families could vanish.

Gas ranges and cooktops could be limited to only one large burner, a major inconvenience for people who regularly prepare food for larger groups. Low-input burners, which home cooks rely on to simmer and melt ingredients without burning them, could become a thing of the past. Cooking times will increase, forcing consumers to spend nearly a full additional day per year simply waiting for water to boil.

This is an awful lot to sacrifice in exchange for only negligible energy savings. In the case of gas cooktops, the savings would amount to approximately $1.51 a year.

While these potential changes to gas cooking appliances rightfully sound like setbacks to convenience and innovation, they are unfortunately only a small part of a federal effort to impose stringent efficiency standards on most of the home appliances you rely on every day. With major appliances such as dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerators already operating at peak efficiency, tighter standards could come at a cost to features, convenience or price.

Since most Nevada households rely on high-performing gas cooking appliances to feed themselves and their families and do not have an extra day a year to waste, it is critical for the DOE to take a step back and rethink its aggressive approach.

In a divided political climate, this is the rare issue that has support in both parties, as we saw when 29 House Democrats joined their Republican colleagues to pass the federal Save Our Gas Stoves Act. The legislation will block the DOE from implementing its proposed gas cooking standard, ensuring it reconsiders the effects the standard will have on home cooks in Nevada and across the U.S. The Save Our Gas Stoves Act has been introduced in the Senate and could come up for a vote soon.

For the good of Nevadans and the nearly 40 percent of U.S. households that cook with gas, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate should follow the House’s lead and come together to support this legislation. Cooking is a true bipartisan issue. By passing the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, the Senate can show its support for choice in cooking appliances and let Nevada residents know that the features and performance they need will be there for them whether they cook with gas or electricity.

Kelly Mariotti is the president and CEO of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.