Republicans keep up the heat on gas stoves

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Jan 30, 2024 View in browser   By Christian Robles Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), ranking member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, has helped lead the charge on Capitol Hill against gas stove rules. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Republicans are still trying to ignite outrage over gas stoves despite broad support for the Biden administration’s new energy efficiency standards. The standards, released Monday and set to take effect in 2028, would prohibit only 3 percent of the gas stoves on the market. That’s far less than the 50 percent that would have been affected under an initial proposal from the Department of Energy. It’s also more modest than the efficiency standards for numerous other appliances like washers and dryers. Nevertheless, GOP rhetoric remains heated, write Brian Dabbs and Nico Portuondo. “Once again, the Biden administration is taking aim at your household appliances,” said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee. “The Biden administration is waging a multifaceted attack on natural gas and popular appliances.” Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) said the administration just “slapped a new face on its plan to dictate what is acceptable.” And Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) said the government “should not be imposing its will upon free markets.“ The statements are just the latest in a monthslong battle, in which Republicans have held up gas stoves as a symbol of the Biden administration’s energy policy. The discourse has at times verged on the absurd, with Republicans falsely accusing President Joe Biden of wanting to ban gas stoves or even remove existing appliances from Americans’ homes. In one memorable tweet last year, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) invited the White House to take his gas stove “from my cold dead hands.” The reality is far less harrowing. DOE’s rule has the support of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, which called it “a win for consumers, appliance manufacturers, and energy savings.” The agency expects the new standards to lower carbon dioxide emissions by almost 4 million metric tons over 30 years, or about the annual emissions of 500,000 households. That’s modest as far as efficiency standards go; a proposed standard for residential water heaters, for example, would cut an estimated 500 million metric tons of CO2. Some Republicans are happy with that compromise. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) — who led House passage of a bill against the original rulemaking — welcomed the rule, as did Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.). But others may keep the drama alive. House Republicans could decide to keep a rider against the rule in their fiscal year 2024 DOE funding bill or may look to block energy efficiency standards for gas furnaces and other appliances through legislation.   It's Tuesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Christian Robles. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to crobles@eenews.net. Listen to today’s POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy’s podcast: Kelsey Tamborrino breaks down the details of the Biden administration’s new gas stove rule.   YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics.      Power Centers A crew repairs a utility pole damaged by the winter storm that passed through Odessa, Texas, in 2021. | Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP Is Texas' grid blackout-proof? Questions remain on whether an updated Texas grid could withstand a future storm as powerful as 2021's Winter Storm Uri, writes Jason Plautz. Texas has implemented several changes since Uri blacked out much of the state, including additional oversight of how power plants prepare for extreme cold and a more diverse mix of energy sources. Experts say it's only a matter of time before a storm as powerful as Uri stress-tests Texas’ grid. LNG's climate impact The Department of Energy is looking into how liquefied natural gas exports affect climate change. Its findings could make the administration’s pause on new LNG exports permanent, writes Jean Chemnick. If DOE finds LNG exports release significant emissions, it could become harder for new projects to show that their economic benefits outweigh climate impacts. DOE has previously found LNG exports emit minimal greenhouse gas. The shrinking Colorado River A drought-stricken Colorado River will likely mean less water for agriculture, increasing food prices and reliance on foreign fruits and vegetables, writes Jennifer Yachnin. The Biden administration is negotiating a new Colorado River management plan, which will inform water use cuts should drought conditions continue. Farmers and water managers expect thousands of acres of farmland to retire in the future but do not expect to abandon crops like alfalfa that are used to make hay for cattle. In Other News Rising oil costs: Several charts explain why oil prices have climbed — and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea aren’t the whole story. Oil production: Saudi Aramco abandoned plans to expand oil output, likely because of lower demand for Saudi oil. Methane leaks: A new report says as many as 11,446 U.S. wells have a "single-point-of-failure design" that could lead to methane leaks. Green central banking: The European Central Bank suggested it could adopt a monetary policy that considers climate change and the clean energy transition. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the special House committee dedicated to countering China, is seen on Capitol Hill last year. | Alex Brandon/AP House Republicans are ramping up their probe of Ford’s battery deal, asking the Biden administration to embargo four Chinese companies they say Ford plans to do business with. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will have a chance to transform the state’s utility regulator with one vacancy and two terms set to expire this month. The U.K. has delayed an international energy security conference to 2025, citing “the number of elections taking place across the world this year.” That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes.       Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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