The Trump administration filed a lawsuit on Monday against the California cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma, seeking to block local ordinances that restrict natural gas infrastructure and appliances in new construction, as reported by Reuters.

The Justice Department argued in its complaint to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California that the laws, passed since 2019, violate a 1975 federal statute prohibiting states and municipalities from regulating the energy use of products already covered by federal standards. “The natural gas bans not only impose crushing costs on California residents but are also unlawful,” the filing stated.

The lawsuit represents the latest federal challenge to local climate policies aimed at reducing fossil fuel use. California, long a Democratic stronghold, has adopted some of the nation’s most aggressive climate measures, prompting repeated criticism from Republicans, including President Trump, who have opposed restrictions on gas-powered appliances.

Since 2019, dozens of U.S. municipalities have enacted similar ordinances. In 2023, a federal appeals court blocked Berkeley, California, from enforcing its 2019 natural gas ban, setting a precedent cited in the current complaint.

City officials have yet to comment. Petaluma City Manager Peggy Flynn said in an email that the city had no immediate response, while Morgan Hill officials did not respond to requests for comment.