## DOJ Sues Morris Township, NJ Over Local Natural Gas Ban in New Construction
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a direct legal assault on a New Jersey municipality's climate policy, filing a federal lawsuit against Morris Township over its local ban on natural gas and other fossil fuels in new buildings. The DOJ's action frames the local ordinance as a threat to national energy policy and consumer costs, marking a significant escalation in the federal government's pushback against municipal-level environmental regulations.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, targets an ordinance passed by the township in 2022. The policy prohibits the installation of natural gas infrastructure in newly constructed buildings, effectively banning appliances like gas stoves, furnaces, and water heaters. In its statement, the DOJ argues the ban "drives up energy costs for everyday American consumers and weakens our Nation’s energy dominance," characterizing it as part of a "radical left effort" to outlaw federally regulated appliances.

This case places Morris Township at the center of a growing national conflict between local climate initiatives and federal energy policy. The lawsuit signals the DOJ's willingness to use federal courts to challenge municipal bans, which could create a chilling effect on similar policies being considered by other cities and towns across the United States. The legal battle will test the limits of local authority to regulate building codes for environmental purposes against claims of federal preemption and impacts on interstate commerce.
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- **Source**: ZeroHedge
- **Sector**: The Network
- **Tags**: DOJ, Morris Township, Natural Gas Ban, Federal Lawsuit, Energy Policy
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-04-03 01:26:54
- **ID**: 48251
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/48251