The White House is not banning gas stoves and ovens

Fox News viewers might think a government agency is cooking up a plan to take away their gas stoves and ovens, after comments from network host Sean Hannity.

"Now, not only is (President Joe) Biden coming for your paycheck, but he's coming for your stove. You heard me right." Hannity said Jan. 9 during his show. "The White House is now attempting to ban all gas ovens and burners, that's like half the country."

The Washington Post reported that 40 million U.S. homes have gas stoves.

Prominent conservatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Fox News host Tucker Carlson, repeated the claim. So did  Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Fox News did not respond to our request for comment. But Hannity's remarks appear to stem from a published interview with a commissioner from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a federal agency that regulates consumer goods, which said a ban on gas stoves could be considered. 

Hannity’s claim mischaracterized the commissioner's remark and left out important context. Although the commissioner did not rule out the possibility of banning gas stoves, he also did not say a ban was in the works. 

Gas stoves emit a poisonous gas when in use, especially in homes with poor ventilation. Several studies have linked emissions from gas stoves with increased health risks. One study found nearly 13% of childhood asthma cases in the U.S. are attributed to gas stove use. 

There are also environmental risks. CBS News has reported that a 2022 study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology said U.S. gas stoves put 2.6 million tons of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, into the air annually.

Nevertheless, the commission’s chair, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, a Biden appointee, said in a statement that neither he nor the safety commission is seeking to ban gas kitchen appliances.

The White House also rebuffed Hannity's claim. "The president does not support banning gas stoves," a White House spokesperson told PolitiFact. 

I want to set the record straight.

Contrary to recent media reports, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the @USCPSC has no proceeding to do so. Read my full statement: pic.twitter.com/bYS1GLEpXP

— Alex Hoehn-Saric (@HoehnSaricCPSC) January 11, 2023

Commissioner Rich Trumka Jr. was quoted in a Jan. 9 Bloomberg News article discussing gas stoves’ health risks and how the commission might address them.

"Any option is on the table," said Trumka, also a Biden appointee. "Products that can’t be made safe can be banned." 

It wasn’t the first time Trumka mentioned a potential ban. The energy and environmental news organization, E&E News, reported he made a similar statement in December during a webinar hosted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. 

"I think we ought to keep that possibility of a ban in mind as you follow along, because it’s a powerful tool in our toolbox and it’s a real possibility here, particularly because there seems to be readily available alternatives already on the market," Trumka said.

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His comments came months after he had received no support on the issue from his fellow commissioners. 

In an October meeting detailing the agency’s plans for 2023, Trumka introduced an amendment for a proposed rule to address gas stove safety. No other commissioners supported the amendment.

Trumka then proposed a second amendment, which received unanimous support, for the commission to seek public comment on risks associated with gas stoves and possible solutions to address them. The request for information is set to be published by March 1. 

When we asked the commission about Trumka’s recent comments, Communications Director Pamela Springs said his position isn’t the agency’s.

Although there are no plans to ban gas kitchen appliances, the commission has the authority to do so. However, that action is considered only when there is no other reasonable way to protect people from the danger an item poses.

The agency last banned a product in 2001, when it prohibited dive sticks, a pool toy, Springs told PolitiFact. 

Even if products are banned, the commission lacks the power to remove products that are already in consumers’ homes. Bans and regulations apply to manufacturers and sellers. 

"Our laws relate to manufacturing, importing, selling, offering for sale and distributing in commerce, not to consumer possession," Springs said. 

Trumka repeated that point after backlash from Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala.

"To be clear, CPSC isn't coming for anyone's gas stoves," Trumka tweeted Jan. 9. "Regulations apply to new products." 

Thanks for your interest!

To be clear, CPSC isn't coming for anyone's gas stoves. Regulations apply to new products.

For Americans who CHOOSE to switch from gas to electric, there is support available - Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act which includes a $840 rebate. https://t.co/fcmWMSSfE5

— Commissioner Rich Trumka Jr. (@TrumkaCPSC) January 9, 2023

Some states and cities have moved to regulate and ban gas stoves in new homes. In April, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a plan to ban gas hookups in new buildings in the state’s budget. In May, the Los Angeles City Council voted to ban most gas appliances in new homes. 

But several Republican-led states have passed bills to preemptively prevent a ban on gas hookups in new construction. 

Hannity said "the White House is now attempting to ban all gas ovens and burners."

One commissioner from the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in an interview that a ban could be considered. But the commission chair rebutted that notion, saying the agency is not seeking a ban. 

The commission is researching health risks related to gas stoves, and will seek the public’s ideas on the issue this year. 

We rate Hannity’s statement False.