The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a warning to California regulators, threatening legal intervention if the state proceeds with strict energy efficiency policies that would effectively phase out certain gas appliances. The move signals a direct clash between federal efforts to promote domestic energy resources and California’s ambitious climate agenda.
U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli sent a letter on Thursday night to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), cautioning that the DOJ is prepared to take legal action if the SCAQMD enacts rules requiring manufacturers to ensure 90% of their furnace and water heater sales are zero-emission models by 2036.
This warning aligns with an executive order from President Donald Trump, which directs the DOJ to actively challenge state and local policies perceived as threats to domestic energy production.
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“These two SCAQMD policies up for review today flout federal law, threaten the safety of our communities, and pile on higher energy costs for California families,” Essayli stated in a communication to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The President has been clear: we must firmly oppose state and local actions that hinder domestic energy production and affordability. My office stands ready to challenge these misguided proposals and defend the interests of our residents.”
The proposed California regulations stand in contrast to the prior administration’s efforts. Former President Joe Biden had introduced stringent energy efficiency regulations for various appliances as part of his climate agenda, including tightening rules on products like dishwashers, gas stoves, and water heaters.
Essayli’s letter emphasizes that the Attorney General has been directed to “take all appropriate action to stop the enforcement of state and local laws and regulations that burden the use of domestic energy resources.”
He further elaborated that if the two proposed amended rules by the SCAQMD are passed, his office is “prepared to take all steps necessary to enforce federal law, including filing a civil action seeking any and all available relief.”
The DOJ views the proposed rules as a violation of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, setting the stage for a potential legal battle over the future of appliance regulations and energy policy in California.
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