The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against two California cities, seeking to block local ordinances that restrict the use of natural gas infrastructure and appliances in new buildings.
In a complaint lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the U.S. Department of Justice argued that measures adopted by the San Francisco Bay Area cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma since 2019 violate a 1975 federal law that bars states and municipalities from regulating the “energy use” of products covered by national standards.
“The natural gas bans not only impose crushing costs on California residents but are also unlawful,” the complaint said.
The legal action marks the latest move by the administration of Donald Trump against policies aimed at curbing fossil fuel use to address climate change. California, a Democratic stronghold, has some of the world’s most ambitious climate policies, while Republicans have repeatedly criticised local efforts to phase out gas-powered appliances.
Since 2019, dozens of municipalities across the United States have adopted ordinances limiting natural gas hookups in new construction. In 2023, a federal appeals court ruled that Berkeley, California, could not enforce its 2019 natural gas ban.
