The federal district court for the Northern District of California ruled that a restaurant trade association failed to state a claim that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) preempted the City of Berkeley’s ordinance prohibiting natural gas infrastructure in new construction. The court rejected Berkeley’s jurisdictional grounds for dismissal (standing and ripeness) but found that the association failed to demonstrate that EPCA expressly preempted Berkeley’s ordinance because the ordinance “does not directly regulate either energy use or energy efficiency of covered appliances.” The court further found that EPCA’s legislative history did not support the plaintiff’s “expansive interpretation.” The court also noted that states and localities “expressly maintain control over the local distribution of natural gas under related federal statutes” such as the Natural Gas Act. The court declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the plaintiff’s state law claims and dismissed them without prejudice. Sabin Center Senior Fellow Amy Turner discussed the court’s decision in a <a href="http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechange/2021/07/07/california-restaurant-association-v-berkeley-and-local-natural-gas-restrictions/">post</a> on the Climate Law Blog.

Challenge to a City of Berkeley ordinance banning natural gas infrastructure in new buildings.

California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley

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Federal Court Rejected Federal Preemption Challenge to Berkeley Natural Gas Ban

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Federal Court Rejected Federal Preemption Challenge to Berkeley Natural Gas Ban

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