The Trump administration filed new litigation this week calling for a federal court to permanently block two Northern California city ordinances banning gas hookups in new construction, city officials say they already aren’t enforcing.
Justice Department attorneys alleged the ordinances passed by Morgan Hill and Petaluma in 2019 and 2021, respectively, were preempted by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The law gives the federal government the authority to regulate energy conservation standards for appliances.
“In pursuit of ‘electrification,’ these bans deny consumers reliable, resilient, and affordable energy, as well as the use of commonplace gas appliances for cooking, heating, and other household needs,” DOJ attorneys said in a Monday court filing to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
“But natural gas is often the lowest cost and most efficient energy source for uses like these — outperforming electric on both expense and lifecycle emissions,” they continued.
