California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order suspending environmental laws for utilities working to restore infrastructure in areas damaged by the Los Angeles fires.

According to a report by Grace Toohey for the Los Angeles Times, the order exempts utilities working on “electric, gas, water, sewer and telecommunication infrastructure” from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) rules. “In a letter sent last month, Newsom urged Southern California Edison, the area’s largest electricity provider, to do all it can to rebuild lines underground in these areas.” A spokesperson for Southern California Edison said the exemption will help the company move electrical wires underground.

A prior executive order also exempts rebuilding work from the California Coastal Act, although the Coastal Commission typically exempts such work after a disaster as long as new construction doesn’t exceed the old footprint by more than 10 percent.

Some environmentalists worry that the exemptions set a poor precedent and could put communities at further risk of future fires and other disasters. “Susan Jordan, executive director of the California Coastal Protection Network, said Newsom’s continued exemptions build on concerning environmental practices she’s seen in the fires’ aftermath, including the decision not to test soil in affected areas.”