The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy this week proposed new efficiency standards for consumer cooking appliances, claiming they would save a “significant amount” of energy.

U.S. Oil and Gas Association President Tim Stewart is discounting the regulators’ claim — and accusing them of concealing an ulterior motive.

“The potential environmental benefits will be very small because the potential energy efficiency improvements are very small,” Stewart said in a statement to Just the News.

The latest move against gast stoves “isn’t about efficiency,” he asserted, “it is about ending the use of fossil fuel.”

The White House clarified that it is not in favor of banning gas stoves, after Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. told Bloomberg the appliances are a “hidden hazard” and that “any option is on the table” with regard to regulating them.

Roughly 38% of U.S. households have gas stoves.

In a bid to allay public concerns, the Energy Department is emphasizing the time lag before the proposed new efficiency standards would take effect.

“The proposed standards would not go into effect until 2027 and cumulatively save the nation up to $1.7 billion. Every major manufacturer has products that meet or exceed the requirements proposed today.”

The department claims the new standards would strongly benefit both the climate and consumers. The standards “would save a significant amount of energy and a lifetime energy savings for consumer conventional cooking products purchased,” according to the proposed rule.

Fox Business reported that regulators estimated the new standards would raise upfront costs of gas stove products by $32.5 million per year while saving $100.8 million annually with lower operating costs factored in.

“New government standards almost always increase the up-front cost for the manufacturer and just as often will reduce the actual utility of the new appliance,” he said. “These costs are passed on to the consumer.

“On the other hand, if manufacturers determine there is a market for more fuel-efficient natural gas stoves, they will more than likely compete to produce those stoves without new regulations.”

Any potential efficiency increases promised by the regulators are far outweighed by steep new compliance costs, according to Stewart’s calculations.

At the end of the day, Stewart argued, the stricter standards are a ploy to price gas appliances into obsolescence as part of the administration’s larger war on traditional, cheap energy sources.

“The Biden Administration is doing everything it can to make natural gas and natural gas appliances more expensive to force consumers to fuel-switch,” said the industry advocate. “Across the administration they are working against the use of natural gas, even though right now natural gas is incredibly inexpensive.”

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed back against any government regulation of gas stoves by proposing a permanent tax holiday on them.

“They want your gas stove, and we’re not going to let that happen,” he said at the state Capitol.