Furor on social media and mainstream media reports of a threat to ban the use of natural gas for cooking erupted Monday when a federal official told Bloomberg that gas stoves could be banned because they are unsafe.

Monday, Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. told Bloomberg: “This is a hidden hazard. Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”

According to Bloomberg, Trumka said the commission could issue a proposal this year.

But Patty Davis, spokesperson for the commission, told The Denver Gazette Tuesday the agency has not proposed any regulatory action on gas stoves.

“Any regulatory action by the Commission would involve a lengthy process,” said Davis. “Agency staff plans to start gathering data and perspectives from the public on potential hazards associated with gas stoves, and proposed solutions to those hazards later this year.”

Commission Chair Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric issued a statement Wednesday debunking the story.

“Over the past several days, there has been a lot of attention paid to gas stove emissions and to the Consumer Product Safety Commission,” said Hoehn-Saric. “Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so.

The agency is working with voluntary standards organizations to examine gas stove emissions and address potential hazards, Davis said.

“More than 12% of current childhood asthma cases in the US can be attributed to gas stove use,” according to a Bloomberg story pointing to peer-reviewed research published last month in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

The research cited by Bloomberg was authored by researchers at Boulder-based non-profit RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute) in conjunction with co-authors in Australia and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. The study was partially funded by the National Cancer Institute.

Xcel Energy and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment officials are aware of the controversy.

“We take indoor air quality seriously and are carefully looking into this complex issue,” said Brian Spenser, deputy communications director for the Colorado Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response in a statement. “Right now, Colorado does not have any regulations in place restricting the use of gas stoves. We will continue to closely monitor this discussion.”

“The health and safety of our customers is a top priority. About 25% of our Colorado customers use natural gas for cooking,” Xcel Spokesperson Michelle Aguayo said. “We believe the use of natural gas for cooking is safe, but always recommend the use of ventilation, and encourage qualified installation and maintenance by a certified technician.”