"The Trump administration is suing two California cities over ordinances that ban the use of natural gas piping and appliances in new buildings, despite the fact that both cities said they have not enforced those bans in several years. In a lawsuit filed Jan. 5 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the Department of Justice said natural gas bans in the Bay Area cities of Petaluma and Morgan Hill are "radical measures" that drive up costs for consumers and conflict with federal energy policy."
"Natural gas, or methane, is a major cause of climate change when it leaks out without being burned. When it is burned in stoves, the emissions are a leading source of smog and indoor air pollution and have been linked to health issues such as respiratory infections and increased childhood asthma. Morgan Hill, in Santa Clara County, banned natural gas for new buildings in 2019. Petaluma, in Sonoma County, followed with a similar ordinance in 2021."
The Department of Justice sued Morgan Hill and Petaluma over local ordinances banning natural gas piping and appliances in new construction, arguing the bans are illegal, costly, and conflict with federal energy policy. Both cities said they had not enforced the bans in several years after a federal court struck down Berkeley's similar ordinance in 2023. Natural gas emissions contribute to climate change and indoor air pollution linked to respiratory illnesses and childhood asthma. The Justice Department tied the case to a 2025 executive order, 'Unleashing American Energy,' aimed at rolling back Biden-era energy regulations and promoting fossil fuel development.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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