The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Morgan Hill and Petaluma, seeking to strike down local bans on natural gas infrastructure in new buildings.
According to the Bay Area News Group, in the complaint filed in Northern California District Court, federal attorneys argue these local ordinances violate the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The government claims that by banning gas piping, the cities are illegally regulating appliances like stoves and furnaces—authority that belongs solely to the federal government.
This lawsuit follows a pivotal 2024 ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals against a similar ban in Berkeley. While cities like San Jose and counties like Sonoma have paused their enforcement to align with that ruling, federal prosecutors say Morgan Hill and Petaluma have kept their restrictions in place without seeking Department of Energy permission.
If the court rules in favor of the administration, it could permanently invalidate these local climate-focused building codes. Officials from Morgan Hill and Petaluma have not yet commented on the filing.
