Federal court overturns Berkeley's natural gas ban.

A federal appeals court has overturned Berkeley's first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas lines in new buildings, agreeing with restaurant owners that the ordinance conflicts with federal laws on energy efficiency. The measure, which took effect in 2020, was intended to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The California Restaurant Association challenged the ordinance, contending it violated the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The court ruled that a local government can't adopt rules that effectively ban natural gas appliances, as it impacts the quantity of energy they consume, which is exclusively regulated by the federal government.