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Local Law Prohibiting Natural Gas Piping is Preempted, Ninth Circuit Holds

In California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley, 89 F. 4th 1094 (9th Cir. 2024), the Ninth Circuit was tasked with determining whether the City of Berkeley’s attempt to prohibit the use of natural gas pipelines in new buildings through a local ordinance conflicted with the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (“EPCA”), 42 U.S.C. § 6297(c).  That statute expressly preempts state and local governments from enacting regulations restricting energy use of many natural gas appliances, including those used in household and restaurant kitchens.  After evaluating the parties’ arguments, the court concluded that the ordinance is preempted by the EPCA based on the text, structure, and context of that statute. 

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