Energy Department finalizes watered-down gas stove rule

The Department of Energy finalized rules regulating efficiency standards for kitchen appliances such as gas stoves on Monday. The finalized rule, however, is less stringent than previous iterations after Republicans and centrist Democrats criticized the rule for being too far-reaching.

The finalized rule would enact efficiency standards for residential cooking products such as gas and electric stoves, along with oven ranges. The final rule is expected to affect only 3% of gas stove models and 23% of electric stoves on the market. A February proposal, in contrast, would have meant that half the gas stove models on the market would have become ineligible.