Editorial: Berkeley’s backtrack on gas ban won’t stop the electrification trend

The garage of an all-electric, solar powered home includes a battery storage system that can power the home during an outage and in the evenings when the cost of electricity from the grid is higher. Berkeley’s trend-setting 2019 ordinance banned gas piping in new buildings and was followed by dozens of other cities across the state that passed a range of ordinances discouraging gas hookups or encouraging all-electric construction. Last year, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the restaurant industry lobbying group, holding that Berkeley’s gas ban is preempted by the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which was enacted in 1975 to establish energy efficiency standards for appliances and prohibits state and local governments from setting their own standards. Some cities, such as San Luis Obispo, stopped enforcing their gas bans and all-electric building codes after last year’s ruling and and are pivoting to measures that encourage electrification using energy efficiency standards. While city officials have been circumspect given the ongoing case, Mayor Jesse Arreguín said in a statement to the editorial board that “the ruling leaves open many policymaking avenues for Berkeley to address environmental and public health hazards within its borders.” It’s not surprising that industries whose business models are threatened by the move away from natural gas have pushed back against efforts to limit natural gas hookups in California.