US sues two California cities over limits on gas in new buildings

Jan 5 (Reuters) – The Trump administration sued two California cities on Monday, seeking to block local laws that restrict natural gas infrastructure and appliances in new construction.

The lawsuit is the administration’s latest attack on energy policies that seek to rein in the use of fossil fuels to combat climate change. California, a Democratic stronghold, has among the most aggressive climate change policies in the world.

Republicans, including President Donald Trump, for years have attacked local Democratic efforts to limit gas-powered appliances.

In the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, Justice Department attorneys alleged that ordinances passed by the San Francisco-area cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma since 2019 violated a 1975 law that prevents states and cities from regulating the “energy use” of products subject to federal standards.

“The natural gas bans not only impose crushing costs on California residents but are also unlawful,” the complaint said.

Since 2019, dozens of U.S. municipalities have enacted ordinances that restrict natural gas hookups. A federal appeals court in 2023 ruled that the city of Berkeley, California, could not enforce its 2019 natural gas ban.

The city manager of Petaluma, Peggy Flynn, said in an email that the city had no immediate comment. Morgan Hill officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)