Trump’s Transportation Department Stops Newsom from Breaking Federal Law, Keeps Costs Down for California Campers

PHMSA 08-26
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today announced that the Department has found California's radical ban on single-use propane cylinders unlawful. The ban - which was slated to go into effect at the start of 2028 - would increase costs for California campers by eliminating the use of heavily relied on single use cylinders.

Today, happy California campers are able to purchase affordable and convenient single use cylinders for their camping needs, including heating and cooking necessities.

Under Newsom's latest climate scam mandate, single use one-pound cylinders would be banned meaning campers in California would be forced to buy more expensive and heavier alternatives.

PHMSA deemed the ban unlawful because it creates design and manufacturing rules that blatantly conflict with federal standards.

"Thanks to President Trump, the federal government's war on fossil fuels is over," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "But California's radical environmentalists just don't know when to quit. Fortunately, this Administration is in the business of improving the quality of life of Americans, including Californians, which is why we're protecting cost-efficient fuel sources like propane cylinders. We're stopping this nonsense in its tracks so all Americans can enjoy the great outdoors and access the affordable energy they deserve."

"Thousands of Americans use these propane cylinders to enjoy our beautiful country when camping," said PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti. "While the state's radical leadership pushes burdensome regulations that raise prices and stifle consumer choice, the Trump Administration is cutting red tape and protecting American families from pointless laws."

PHMSA's response is to an application filed by Worthington Enterprises, which asserts that California's Public Resources Code (§§ 42395 - 42395.2) imposes design and manufacturing requirements that conflict with uniform federal regulations.

A copy of the decision can be found here.

Additional Information:

Under Secretary Duffy, PHMSA is modernizing infrastructure and cutting red tape to deliver millions in savings to families while enhancing safety.

Key factors driving PHMSA's consideration of a preemption include:

Ensuring Uniform Federal Regulations: Under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA), non-federal requirements can be preempted under three independent bases: if dual-compliance is impossible, if the law stands as an obstacle to federal regulations, or if a law covering specific subjects (such as packaging and container specifications) is not "substantively the same" as federal law. Consistent design, manufacturing, and maintenance standards are vital for the safe transportation of hazardous materials across the nation.

Effects on Safe, Reliable Transportation: Conflicting state-level mandates could negatively affect the safe, reliable transportation of single-use cylinders in the national supply chain, thereby causing disruptions that would threaten American manufacturing jobs, and result in increased costs for consumers.

The Preemption Application: Worthington contends that California's reusability requirement for propane cylinders should be preempted because it is an obstacle to the federal hazardous material transportation regime and its requirements are not substantively the same as DOT's standards.

Public and Stakeholder Support: Following a Federal Register notice published in January 2026, PHMSA received 17 comments in the docket. Preemption of the California law is supported by a number of Members of Congress, State Attorneys General, and industry associations.

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