BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — The city of Berkeley, California, has agreed to halt enforcement of a ban on natural gas piping in new homes and buildings that was successfully opposed in court by the California Restaurant Association, the organization said.
The settlement follows the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' refusal to reconsider a 2023 ruling that the ban violates federal law that gives the U.S. government the authority to set energy-efficiency standards for appliances, the association said in a statement last week.
The office of the Berkeley city attorney did not immediately respond Tuesday to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment on the association's statement.
The association said Berkeley agreed to settle the case by taking steps to repeal its ordinance, but because the process will take several months, the city will immediately stop enforcing the ban to comply with the court ruling.