Top Republican leaders in California are asking the Trump administration to “intervene” in their own state push to remove traditional energy sources, especially gas. Liberal leadership.
“Natural gas and gas appliances,” California Legislature Republican James Gallagher and state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said in a letter sent to the Department of Christopher Wright in the California Legislature. “Prohibited,” and urged the DOE to consider these actions and California’s efforts to assess them: energy sufficiency, energy independence, and impact on national security issues.”
“It’s a sick philosophy that tells you that you’re going to control the way you build your home. We’re going to tell you everything you can and can’t,” Gallagher says Fox News He spoke to Digital in an exclusive interview.
“This has also had a major impact on the cost of living in California,” Gallagher said. “Let’s decide that you can’t ban gas appliances. People need them. They like these. They’re more affordable.
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Republican leaders like California Senator James Gallagher have called on the Trump Energy sector to intervene in the state’s climate agenda to ban natural gas resources. (Getty Images | Fox News Digital)
California has in recent years stepped up efforts to phase out natural gas appliances as lawmakers claim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve indoor air quality. In 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a plan to ban the sale of new gas drive spaces and water heaters by 2030. The state’s 2023 energy codes all encourage electrical construction, making it more expensive for developers to install gas appliances.
“We hope that the federal government will envision and recover the choices of California consumers,” Gallagher said. “You should be able to choose whether you need electricity and gas, and you need to make these choices in particular. [Gov.] Gavin Newsom and the Democratic policy have exploded prices from the roof. ”
Republicans also require doe to legally engage with California jurisdiction that violates the EPCA [Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975] to implement a federal preemption for state or local gas bans. ”
“In light of these actions by many California, local governments and regulatory agencies, we ask the Department of Energy to intervene when necessary to overturn these excess policies.” The letter states.
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President Donald Trump has vowed to unleash American energy, including oil and natural gas. (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has instructed the DOE to implement policies to enhance natural gas production and exports. Later last month he signed an executive order declaring a national energy emergency, including measures to strengthen domestic energy production.
“Expanding consumer choice and removing the burden restrictions on household appliances is a key component of President Trump’s agenda to reduce costs for Americans,” said DOE spokesman Ben. -Daitillich told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
California, a beacon of progressive environmental policies from other liberal nations, has participated in the federal appliance standards program, but in some cases, strict state standards have surpassed federal requirements. . When asked about the California Republican letter, the department said it was “working to conduct a comprehensive review and advance a common-sense approach that prioritizes affordability and choice for all Americans.” .
“The criteria should include a cost-benefit analysis that takes into account advance costs that reflect the actual cost savings of American families when purchasing new products and American families,” Wright said in a statement last week that he was first secretary order has been announced.
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President Donald Trump will be speaking to reporters on Monday at his oval office in the White House in Washington, D.C. (AP/Alex Brandon)
More than 70 Golden State cities, starting in 2019 in Berkeley, have enacted local ordinances banning the connection of natural gas to new buildings. However, a 2024 federal court ruling overturned the Berkeley ban and urged some local governments to rethink their policies. Meanwhile, the state legislature has passed a bill that requires a warning label on a gas stove, citing health risks related to indoor emissions. If you sign the law, California will be the first state to ban gas appliances.
And the Democratic majority in California is supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom. In recent years, Newsom has signed a law restricting new oil and gas wells near certain sites and has registered its neighborhoods to move to all electrical systems. Additionally, in December 2024, state regulators approved a plan to reduce their reliance on major natural gas storage facilities.
In a recent interview with CNN’s Pamela Brown earlier this month, Newsom said that homeowners who lost their homes in a Los Angeles wildfire “can’t rebuild the same, so they need to be rebuilt with science and rebuilding. Climate Reality It should be rebuilt with in mind […]. ”
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Fox News Digital did not respond from Newsom’s office by the time of publication.
Jamie Joseph is a political writer. She leads the Senate’s Fox News digital coverage.
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