Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has rolled back environmental regulations to help “expedite” recovery efforts from the destructive wildfires that have Californians reeling.
Newsom’s executive order suspended permitting and environmental reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act, one of the country’s strictest state-level regulations, and the California Coastal Act, which places stringent guidelines on oil and gas companies.
Over the weekend, Newsom suggested the environmental rules could obstruct fire victims’ ability to build back their homes and businesses destroyed during the crisis.
“I’m worried about issues of rebuilding as it relates to … scarcity of resources, materials, personnel. I’m worried about time to getting these projects done. So we want to fast-track by eliminating any CEQA requirements,” Newsom said during an NBC News interview on Sunday.
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