LOS ANGELES —The Trump administration is threatening to sue Southern California air regulators if they approve rules to phase out gas heaters scheduled for votes Friday.
What happened: Bill Essayli, U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, warned in a Thursday letter to the South Coast Air Quality Management District that proposals to set zero-emission sales targets on gas space and water heaters for manufacturers and imposing fees on new gas appliances are preempted under the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
Essayli, whom President Donald Trump nominated in April, pointed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ 2023 decision to overturn the city of Berkeley’s ban on gas hookups in new construction, which the court ruled violated national energy-efficiency standards by preventing the use of appliances allowed under federal law.
“Please be advised that if PAR 1111 and PAR 1121 pass, my Office is prepared to take all steps necessary to enforce federal law, including filing a civil action seeking any and all available relief, including injunctive relief, monetary damages and penalties,” the letter reads.
