Berkeley Will Repeal Its Landmark Ban on Natural Gas in New Homes

[ripcord]

The city of Berkeley, Calif., has agreed to repeal a landmark climate rule that would have banned natural gas hookups in new homes, throwing into question the fate of dozens of similar restrictions on gas in cities across the country.

Berkeley’s gas ban, which was the first of its kind when it passed in 2019, had been challenged in court by the California Restaurant Association and was struck down last year by a three-judge panel on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The city settled the lawsuit last week by agreeing to immediately halt enforcement of the rule and eventually repeal it altogether.

“To comply with the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, we have ceased enforcement of the gas ban,” Farimah Brown, the city attorney for Berkeley, said in an email. However, she added, “Berkeley will continue to be a leader on climate action.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/27/climate/berkeley-gas-ban-climate.html

San Francisco is keeping their ban in place and it will probably take a court order for them to change.

[Think. Again.]

1. I don't understand how a restaurant association has standing...

...to bring a suit against a ban that only applies to homes and doesn't affect restaurants.

[ripcord]

2. From the article

In 2019, Berkeley’s City Council thrust the issue into the national spotlight by unanimously approving a ban on extending natural gas infrastructure into most newly constructed buildings.

[Think. Again.]

3. I see, so the NYT headline is misinformation ...

...when it says:

"Berkeley Will Repeal Its Landmark Ban on Natural Gas in New Homes"

I should have known the NYT would be misleading again.

[David__77]

4. That won't stop the trend of electrification.

Particularly with the coming IRA rebates and tax credits.