Governor Gavin Newsom’s suspension of environmental regulations to speed wildfire recovery has intensified California’s long-running battle between environmental protection and development, drawing criticism from multiple fronts.
The executive order, which lifts California Environmental Quality Act and Coastal Act requirements, comes as AccuWeather estimates damages between $135 billion and $150 billion, with approximately 12,000 structures damaged or destroyed.
The regulatory rollbacks target two landmark environmental laws enacted during California’s conservation movement of the 1970s. CEQA, which was previously been suspended during COVID-19, and the Coastal Act have shaped the state’s development for half a century. However, amid California’s deepening housing shortage, critics increasingly view these regulations as weapons for anti-development groups to block new construction projects.
“I’m worried about time to getting these projects done,” Newsom told NBC’s Meet the Press. “And so we want to fast-track by eliminating any CEQA requirements. Any Coastal Act changes that we’re making.”
Some, including Elon Musk, argue the crisis reveals deeper regulatory problems.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass vowed to overhaul normal bureaucratic procedures, promising to eliminate what she called “unnecessary delays, cost and headaches” that typically slow reconstruction. “We’re going to clear the way to rapidly rebuild our neighborhood infrastructure,” Bass said at a briefing.
Newsom sought to reassure residents about rebuilding costs, particularly in middle-class areas. “Don’t walk away,” he urged, promising higher quality standards while pledging to keep expenses manageable. “We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality-building standards, more modern standards.”
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