Energy industry launches grassroots efforts to protect gas stoves from regulatory extinction

The U.S. Oil and Gas Association on Wednesday officially launched a grassroots initiative called "Hands off my Stove" to help families fight federal, state and local regulatory efforts to make gas stoves extinct. 

The powerful industry group opened a new Web site at https://handsoffmystove.com where everyday Americans can join a grassroots groups for $1 a month to join the fight against eliminating gas appliances like stoves and grills, get weekly updates and join like-minded Americans who want to keep government regulators out of their kitchens.

"When you go to handsoffmystove.com, really it's designed to be a grassroots organization-a grassroots affiliation of people who are sharing like mindedness," U.S. Oil and Gas Association President Tim Stewart said on the John Solomon Reports podcast.

The mission statement of "Hands off my Stove," according to the website, is to "preserve our right to choose to cook our meals any way we want without government interference."

The Biden administration created alarm in January when it suggested it was moving toward banning gas stoves in the future due to climate change and health concerns. Federal regulators are crafting new regulations that experts say would one day outlaw many gas appliances in the market today some time in the future.

Meanwhile,  several blue states and cities are enacting gas appliance bans on their own.  San Francisco formally enacted bans on some gas appliance installations in new residential buildings, but exempted stoves for the time being. California is considering a full ban on all gas appliances long term.

And the state of New York is putting the finishing touches on a statewide ban on gas appliances in new homes.

Stewart made the point that the opposition to such regulations need to be driven by everyday Americans. 

"It needs to be driven by that mommy blogger in Utah or the restaurant owner in Iowa or the HVAC installer in Virginia," he stated. "I think what we can do here is we can help everybody get started, but eventually they have to take it from there."

According to Stewart, this initiative is more than just about gas stoves. It's about standing up for freedom, even in a seemingly small way. 

"It's not just about gas stoves. It's about choice," he emphasized. "And it's about somebody else telling me what you and I can and can't do because they think they know better than you and I. It really comes down to if we don't stop here, where do we stop?"