6 events in Passaic County with a date

Feds sue Morris town over 'radical left' ban on oil, gas

By: William Westhoven
Morristown Daily Record
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... The federal government has targeted an ordinance passed by a North Jersey town that bans natural gas, propane gas and fuel oil infrastructure and appliances in certain new constriction, calling it par of "a radical left effort" to "Weaken our national security and devastate Americans by driving up energy costs for families coast to coast."
..... The ordinance, passed in 2022 by Morris Township, applies only to newly constructed apartment complexes or apartment-style housing with 12 or more dwelling units, said Mayor Donna Guariglia. It does not apply to single-family townhouses or existing residences.
..... "The Department brought this lawsuit to protect American citizens the township abandoned by kowtowing to progressive fear mongering in passing its natural gas ban." Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a Justice Department release announcing the lawsuit against Morris Township earlier in April. [2026] Guariglia vowed to defend the ordinance, which she described as "responsible local planning."
..... Let's me be clear, we stand by this ordinance, and, as such, we intend to defend it," she wrote in a statement released by the Morris County Democratic Committee.
..... Morris Township, a Republican stronghold in Morris County before Donald Trump;s first term, now has an all-Democratic elected government.
..... The ordinance "does not require anyone to remove appliance from existing homes or buildings," the mayor wrote. "It simply sets standards for a narrow category of new construction so that growth in Morris Township reflects modern priorities and sound planning."
..... But the Justice Department said Morris township's natural gas ban "drives up energy costs for everyday American consumers and weakens our nation's energy dominance."
..... "Such polices reflect a radical left effort to outlaw federally regulated gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, dryers, and other appliances that American families rely on to cook their meals and heat their homes," the statement said.

Housing boom effect

..... The ordinance places limitation on new larger-scale developments at a time when many New Jersey towns are required by state law to build more affordable housing.
..... To meet the mandate, towns are compelled to approve larger developments proposed by builders who pledge to reserve up to 20% of their inventory as qualified affordable units. The rest can be sold at market value to ensure the builder can make a profit.
..... "Morris Township is experiencing significant apartment development," Guariglia said. "As new multifamily buildings are constructed, we have a responsibility to think not only about today, but about the long-term safety, health, environmental impact, and resilience of those building for decades to come."
..... Morris Township is required to rehabilitate nine affordable residential units and build 375 new ones over the next decade.
..... To meet those demands, the township is rezoning five privately-owned properties that would yield a maximum of 167 affordable units and a minimum of 67 bonus credits.

Two suits in California

..... The Justice Department described its lawsuits as "another example of the department hard at work in keeping President Donald J. Trump's promise to the American people to restore consumer freedom and cut energy costs.
..... The department has successfully sued two California cities, Morgan Hill and Petaluma, over similar "progressive' natural gas bans.
..... "Banning natural gas is illegal,: said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. "Where the federal government has exclusive authority to regulate appliances and infrastructure, we will fight state and local overreach."
..... Guariglia countered, "Local government should be able to make sensible decisions that help address climate changes in ways that fit local needs. We respect the legal process, and we will respond through that process. But we will also continue to stand up for the right of local communities to make thoughtful decisions about their own development and public welfare."

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