Appeals Court Upholds Emissions Rule for Heating Appliances in Southern California

Appeals Court Upholds Emissions Rule for Heating Appliances in Southern California

USA: A federal appeals court has upheld a regulation introduced by the South Coast Air Quality Management District that restricts the manufacture, sale and installation of certain nitrogen oxide-emitting appliances in four counties of Southern California. In a 2–1 decision, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act does not prevent states from regulating appliance emissions, allowing the measure to remain in force.

The rule, adopted in June 2024, applies to large water heaters, small boilers and process heaters, with compliance requirements beginning on 1 January 2026. It aims to reduce emissions in the South Coast Air Basin, covering parts of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and is expected to eliminate nearly 10% of emissions in the region. Industry organisations, including the National Association of Home Builders and several California manufacturing and hospitality groups, had challenged the regulation, arguing that it conflicted with federal law, while one judge dissented, citing similarities with an earlier ruling involving a natural gas infrastructure ban in Berkeley, California.

Source: Reuters