Gas Stove Bans: Policy Issue
Overview
At every level of government, policymakers are increasingly considering restricting, or even banning, the use of natural gas-powered appliances. In practice, this translates to proposed emission standards, warning labels, bans on the manufacture or import of gas stoves and prohibiting natural gas hookups in new residential buildings.
Proponents of these regulations hope to help cities reduce building emissions as well as address perceived health and safety risks. Legislators and regulators, however, must weigh the exorbitant costs of these priorities on individual households and American businesses. Notably, it takes three times as much energy to deliver electricity, instead of gas, to a stove, making electric ranges less energy efficient and more expensive for consumers.
Industry Position
Limitations on gas-powered appliances disregard resident preferences, increase operating expenses and jeopardize the long-term viability and affordability of rental housing. The National Apartment Association (NAA) opposes limitations on gas-powered appliances or mandated retrofits. Instead, policymakers should pursue alternative solutions and incentives to meet their climate priorities, such as subsidies to help providers improve energy efficiency in rental housing.
As an Owner or Operator, How Does this Affect My Business?
There is no meaningful evidence that electric cooking ranges improve indoor air quality or reduce asthma diagnoses, as supporters of gas stove bans often argue. On the other hand, electric ranges are disproportionately more likely to be involved in a cooking fire with potentially higher rates of resulting deaths, injuries and property damage.
Additionally, the process of switching from gas to electric appliances is often cost prohibitive – if not impossible – for rental housing providers, who must retrofit apartment homes with the necessary amperage and appliance connections. This is especially burdensome for mom-and-pop rental housing providers who often do not have the resources for large-scale renovations. Further, electric appliances are less energy efficient than gas, leading to higher utility expenses in the long run.
Ultimately, the costs of mandating state-of-the-art equipment across the industry will be borne by the nation’s renters. Instead of pushing to ban gas-powered appliances based on inconclusive evidence, policymakers and regulators must prioritize long-term affordability and consumer choice.
Contact Information
To learn more about this issue, please contact NAA's Public Policy team.