Trump v. Cities

By Todd Paglia, Executive Director of Stand.earth

The Trump Administration is working to annihilate progress on clean air and climate at every level of government, including by taking back federal funding as well as taking aim at how state and local governments are holding the fossil fuel industry accountable and speeding the transition to renewable energy.

This news is bad and drawing a lot of attention, understandably. But cities are fighting back and there is a major battle brewing. Berkeley, Calif., just passed a policy that will cut climate and air pollution from many existing homes.

Momentum is building as people increasingly want to see the policies of their cities align with their values. Berkeley is just one of several examples of local policies moving forward despite the current administration and also despite several years of backlash from the fossil fuel industry.

Berkeley’s policy is a trailblazing municipal action with big impact. Almost a third of U.S. climate pollution comes from powering and operating our homes and businesses. In Berkeley, existing buildings are the second largest source of greenhouse gases. And when we lower greenhouse gas pollution from buildings, we also lower other harmful pollution, like nitrogen oxides (NOx) – gases which cause asthma and other health problems. Berkeley’s new policy represents a first-of-its-kind approach to cut pollution when a home is sold, ensuring that it meets a resilience standard or receives modern upgrades to lower energy bills, improve health and safety, and reduce pollution. Berkeley has set an influential example that other cities can now follow, scaling up the clean air and climate protection impact, so there’s plenty to be excited about here.

But there’s also a bigger, very important context that makes the passage of this policy in this place all the more meaningful.

This is the first buildings policy Berkeley has passed since a major Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision. Back in 2019, Berkeley passed the first local building electrification policy in the world, kicking off a movement that led to over 100 policies in the U.S. and Canada. Then the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, having grown more conservative following several Trump appointments, overturned the city’s first-of-its-kind ban on polluting methane gas in new buildings because, according to the argument, it conflicted with federal appliance rules.  A fossil fuel company funded the firm that brought the case, though denies it funded the case itself. The court’s decision sent a chill through local governments in California, Washington, and Oregon, the states within the district where policies were being passed. Copycat lawsuits threatened to derail progress all the way across the country in New York — another state with leading-edge building electrification policies.

However, local government leaders, attorneys, and advocates didn’t give up. They have been busy, developing new policies that work despite the Ninth Circuit ruling.

Fast forward to 2025 and cities continue charging forward, using those new innovative angles to protect communities and climate while avoiding being overruled. Here’s a sampling of what’s happened recently in addition to Berkeley:

• A carbon pollution impact fee for new homes was approved in Ashland, Ore., in February to encourage building all-electric. Builders who choose all-electric appliances skip the fee.
• In California, several new energy efficiency requirements and Zero-NOx pollution standards for space and water heating appliances are in place at the local and air district levels. In the aftermath of the Southern California wildfires in January, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass made an Executive Order to fast-track all-electric and fire-resilient new homes.
• Seattle has adopted building emissions performance standards to lower emissions from large, existing buildings.

Each of these actions is important, but there is a twist with Berkeley’s that makes it especially sweet. Because it covers existing homes, the city’s new policy will have more air pollution and climate impact than the one the gas industry killed. And many more cities can use this approach and others from the growing menu of local health and climate initiatives being developed around the nation.

When policies pass at the local level, they also inspire other levels of government to take action. Local policies spurred regional air districts in California to pass rules to cut pollution from buildings and Washington, California, and New York to create statewide codes and laws that do the same.

While the federal government tries to reverse so much climate and justice progress, our local governments continue leading the way with new tools and inspiring action at scale. Our job, right now, is to be part of this critical local work. Fighting for clean air – for the people and places we love – is our instinct, our responsibility, and our most effective move right now. With this new swell of local policies and approaches, the time is now to get your city, town, or county engaged in the fight. Get involved with our SAFE Cities at Stand.earth movement here.