WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in introducing the Natural Gas Appliances Standards (Natural GAS) Act of 2023. This legislation will block any rulemaking by the Department of Energy (DOE) that could have the effect of outlawing the sale of a range of natural gas appliances. Studies have shown that in residential applications, when evaluated on a full-fuel-cycle basis, natural gas results in significant reductions in energy consumption, consumer energy bills, and air pollutant emissions as compared to other fuels.

“The Democrat war on natural gas is relentless. President Biden’s Climate Czar John Kerry wants Americans to stop using natural gas in eight years or less. The Democrat governor of New York is about to eliminate gas in new buildings.  Now the Biden Administration is working to take away your gas appliances,” said ranking member Barrasso. “Gas is clean, efficient, and secure. Our reserves will last more than a century. My legislation will prevent the Department of Energy from using regulation to kill popular gas stoves, water heaters, and boilers.”

“The Biden administration has taken aim at gas appliances that help feed millions of Americans and keep their homes warm. The Natural GAS Act will keep the government out of your kitchen and away from your furnace by protecting Americans’ ability to use and buy natural gas appliances,” said Senator Risch.

“Natural gas is an efficient and affordable source of power for everything from water heaters to stoves and furnaces,” said Senator Hoeven. “The Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act would prevent the Department of Energy from putting in place any de facto ban on natural gas appliances and ensure that consumers continue to have the choice to use this abundant fuel source for their appliances.”   

“First, the Biden administration killed thousands of American jobs by canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, then they drove up the cost of fuel, electricity, and utilities for families, and now they take away the freedom of choice as to what you cook on,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Let’s stop this assault on the American consumer.”

“The National Propane Gas Association supports the Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2023, which protects consumer choice, prevents fuel switching, and provides transparency for energy efficiency labeling requirements. NPGA applauds Senator Barrasso’s efforts to provide reasonable protections for consumers to choose their preferred fuel and home appliances,” said Steve Kaminski, President and CEO of the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA).

“AGA applauds Sen. Barrasso for taking this critical step to ensure consumers have the information they need about energy cost, efficiency, and emissions when it comes to the energy and appliances they use,” said Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the American Gas Association. “The direct use of natural gas is 92% efficient from production to customer, which underscores just how important it is to look at how energy is produced and delivered when looking to define energy efficiency. Natural gas plays a critical role in ensuring Americans have access to affordable and reliable energy and helping our nation meet its energy and environmental goals, and we look forward to working with the Senator and his team to continue to realize these benefits.”? 

The Natural Gas Appliances Standards (Natural GAS) Act would:

• Require that DOE certify that any stove, water heater, or furnace energy efficiency rule would not result in fuel switching from natural gas to electric appliances;
• Specify that DOE may not put forward a rule that would limit the features of gas stoves, such as quick boil times, number and size of burners, and design of grates;
• Exempt small manufacturers from future energy efficiency rulemakings for stoves, water heaters, and furnaces; and,
• Require that existing energy efficiency labels displayed at the point of sale disclose full-fuel-cycle efficiency, rather than just point-of-use energy consumption. This comprehensive analysis would consider energy consumed to extract and transport fuels, energy losses in power generation, and energy losses in transmission and transportation.

Read the text of S. 1043, the Natural GAS Act here.

Read the letter from the National Propane Gas Association here.

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