The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Morris Township, New Jersey, over its ordinance that bans the use of natural gas, propane gas, and fuel oil infrastructure and appliances in certain new residential construction.
According to the lawsuit, the 2022 ordinance applies to new apartment complexes or apartment-style housing comprised of 12 or more dwelling units. The DOJ stated the ordinance runs afoul of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, in which federal energy efficiency standards preempt contradictory state and local regulations.
The agency noted the lawsuit follows similar litigation brought against the California cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma which resulted in the two cities rescinding their respective bans on natural gas.
In a statement, the DOJ claimed the town’s actions “reflect a radical left effort to outlaw federally regulated gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, dryers, and other appliances that American families rely on daily to cook their meals and heat their homes.”
“Where the federal government has exclusive authority to regulate appliances and infrastructure, we will fight state and local overreach,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Banning natural gas is illegal. It makes heating, cooking, drying, and other life functions more unaffordable for consumers. This administration is committed to unleashing American energy and empowering Americans.”
Yeah! Finally some common sense moves to eradicate this ridiculous theatric of climate change.
Today is Easter Sunday. We proclaim risen Lord. He rules over the sun the earth and the skies. Silly man. You think you have much at all to do with regulating the storms. Silly silly wayward thinking as far as I’m concerned.
Yes we can influence the earth. But not to the degree that these green folks think. Just one more way to waste our money and keep us on busy win that we miss the real true picture.
Awesome
Hope they come to MA next! Healey and the idiotic DEMOCRAP legislature have made a joke of all this and gas and electric utilities are the highest in the country. Total morons
The fervor for electric only is not logical. NYS utility rates are about 50% higher than the national average for a start. Our NYS governor pulled back the Jan 1st law passed by the legislature requiring all new construction under 7 stories to be totally electric, due to it appears, objections from other governorship candidates and builders. The latter said there was no preparation to support this such as with the electric companies. A blizzard in the Buffalo area about three years ago showed that those having any ability to provide some gas heat instead of freezing to death was desirable. The impact on the electric grid with such new builds and with the growth of data centers has to be studied and any expansion funded. What is this really all about.