Critics of the move – included a noted Vermont author and energy expert – say the regulation, if enacted, will put Americans at risk during natural disasters, such as the recent flooding.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) put out a document warning the public that these new rules will be under consideration. It states in its summary that they have "preliminarily determined that there is an unreasonable risk of injury and death associated with acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from portable generators. To address this hazard, the Commission proposes a rule under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) that limits CO emissions from portable generators and requires generators to shut off when specific emissions  levels are reached."