Talk about biting the hand that feeds.A California judge appointed by US President Joe Biden has delivered a near-death blow to climate activists and his own government looking to ban natural gas stoves.Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín tossed a class-action suit filed by an environmental law firm on behalf of a local resident who accused GE Appliances’ parent company of fraud for allegedly knowing that its products — natural gas stoves — spew “health-harming pollutants” such as nitrogen oxides and continues to sell them anyway..“(The) defendant is aware of the fact that its products emit harmful pollutants. It is further aware that use of gas stoves increases the rates of respiratory illness in adults and children."Statement of claim.But the judge ruled the plaintiffs failed to make their case by relying on a Consumer Reports article titled ‘Is Your Gas Range a Health Risk?’ as evidence. They also pointed to a 2022 study funded by the Rock Mountain Institute (RMI), a climate think tank advocating for a ban on virtually anything to do with natural gas.In their claim, they said GE “ought” to have known about the so-called “dangers” of natural gas appliances but continued to sell them anyway.In the statement, the plaintiffs allege that GE “monitors and keeps track of research on the health effects of its products," the complaint stated. "This is diligence that large companies like (GE) routinely do when selling a consumer product. (The) defendant is aware of the fact that its products emit harmful pollutants. It is further aware that use of gas stoves increases the rates of respiratory illness in adults and children.".In her ruling, Martínez-Olguín said they failed to establish "how the defendant obtained knowledge of the specific defect prior the plaintiff’s purchase of the defective product in order to sufficiently allege the manufacturer’s awareness of a defect." The plaintiffs have until March 14 to file an amended claim or its tossed.The irony is that Martínez-Olguín of the US District Court for the Northern District of California was appointed by President Joe Biden and received confirmation from the Democrat-controlled Senate last year.In January 2023, a federal appeals court tossed a similar proposal to ban natural gas appliances in Berkeley, CA. In April, Biden was subsequently forced to water down regulations targetting gas appliances such as furnaces, stoves and even dishwashers under the guise of ‘efficiency’ regulations after it was revealed his so-called ‘climate czar’ met with RMI officials about banning gas stoves.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds.A California judge appointed by US President Joe Biden has delivered a near-death blow to climate activists and his own government looking to ban natural gas stoves.Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín tossed a class-action suit filed by an environmental law firm on behalf of a local resident who accused GE Appliances’ parent company of fraud for allegedly knowing that its products — natural gas stoves — spew “health-harming pollutants” such as nitrogen oxides and continues to sell them anyway..“(The) defendant is aware of the fact that its products emit harmful pollutants. It is further aware that use of gas stoves increases the rates of respiratory illness in adults and children."Statement of claim.But the judge ruled the plaintiffs failed to make their case by relying on a Consumer Reports article titled ‘Is Your Gas Range a Health Risk?’ as evidence. They also pointed to a 2022 study funded by the Rock Mountain Institute (RMI), a climate think tank advocating for a ban on virtually anything to do with natural gas.In their claim, they said GE “ought” to have known about the so-called “dangers” of natural gas appliances but continued to sell them anyway.In the statement, the plaintiffs allege that GE “monitors and keeps track of research on the health effects of its products," the complaint stated. "This is diligence that large companies like (GE) routinely do when selling a consumer product. (The) defendant is aware of the fact that its products emit harmful pollutants. It is further aware that use of gas stoves increases the rates of respiratory illness in adults and children.".In her ruling, Martínez-Olguín said they failed to establish "how the defendant obtained knowledge of the specific defect prior the plaintiff’s purchase of the defective product in order to sufficiently allege the manufacturer’s awareness of a defect." The plaintiffs have until March 14 to file an amended claim or its tossed.The irony is that Martínez-Olguín of the US District Court for the Northern District of California was appointed by President Joe Biden and received confirmation from the Democrat-controlled Senate last year.In January 2023, a federal appeals court tossed a similar proposal to ban natural gas appliances in Berkeley, CA. In April, Biden was subsequently forced to water down regulations targetting gas appliances such as furnaces, stoves and even dishwashers under the guise of ‘efficiency’ regulations after it was revealed his so-called ‘climate czar’ met with RMI officials about banning gas stoves.
