Pennacchio Urges Action on Bill to Protect Right to Buy and Use Gas Stoves

Pennacchio Warned Public that Murphy Administration Will Try to Eliminate Natural Gas & Gas Appliances

With the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) beginning “building decarbonization” efforts, Senator Joe Pennacchio urged the Legislature to take action on a bill he sponsors with Senator Steven Oroho that protects the right of New Jerseyans to buy and use gas stoves.

“Governor Murphy has said that ‘no one is coming for your gas stove’ even as his bureaucrats at the BPU were advancing plans to ‘decarbonize’ the state, which means eliminating natural gas and electrifying everything,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “Unless we have ironclad guarantees written into state law to protect energy choice and the right of New Jersey consumers to buy and use gas stoves, the governor’s words are meaningless.”

Pennacchio and Oroho sponsor legislation, S-3560, that prohibits the adoption of State and local rules that prohibit the use of stoves and ovens powered by natural gas and other delivered fuels.

When the legislation was announced in January, Pennacchio warned that a state-level ban on gas stoves and appliances remains the long-term goal of Governor Murphy’s extreme Energy Master Plan.

The BPU took the first steps yesterday toward “building decarbonization” through the approval of a plan to begin the process of replacing gas appliances with electric versions.

“Our bill would guarantee the right of New Jerseyans to use gas stoves and prevent state regulators from implementing any intrusive and expensive bans,” added Pennacchio. “If there are no bans or mandates coming down the pike, Governor Murphy should have no problem saying he would sign this bill into law. Unfortunately, I don’t expect we’ll hear that from him.”