This chapter exposes the hidden costs, undisclosed funders, and industry manipulation behind the legal battles against gas hook-up bans in new buildings. It highlights the broader implications of these fights and the ongoing efforts to resist gas bans in various cities.
After Berkeley, California, became the first city in the US to ban natural gas in new buildings in 2019, it gained an unlikely opponent: the California Restaurant Association. The industry group sued the city, and kicked off a four-year-plus legal battle that ended with the city backing down. But when Bloomberg’s Ben Elgin started following the money, he found evidence that raised questions about where the association got its support.
In today’s episode, host Sarah Holder speaks with Elgin about the fight against California gas bans and how gas companies are planning to leverage that victory nationally.
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