FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2025
Contact: Michael Blenner, michael.blenner@sierraclub.org
Sierra Club California Statement on Newsom’s Suspension of CEQA and Coastal Act
Over the weekend, Governor Gavin Newsom surprised the public and environmental experts with the release of an emergency proclamation related to wildfire preparation activities in California’s wild lands.
The order suspends a range of laws, including but not limited to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The suspension is made for broadly defined “critical fuels reduction projects”.
Statement from Gabriela Facio, Sierra Club California Senior Policy Strategist:
“Governor Newsom’s proclamation is unnecessary and redundant. Most forest land in California is already managed by the federal government, and there are many exemptions from CEQA and the Forest Practice Act to allow for hazardous fuels removal and defensible space.
"This proclamation has significant potential negative impacts for laws that protect Californians and their environment from other human-caused hazards.
“For over 50 years, The California Coastal Act, passed by voters, has been used to ensure that Californians have access to the beaches and bluffs that make this state special. With sweeping language, Newsom’s order would suspend it and other vital environmental protections, which could include the California Environmental Species Act, certain water laws, and certain Fish and Game Codes.
“The lack of clarity in the Governor’s proclamation poses a potentially massive threat to our state’s environment and ecosystems. If the governor intended to produce a narrowly defined and effective order, he should have consulted with environmental experts and released the order during normal working hours as well.”
Sierra Club California is the legislative and regulatory arm of Sierra Club’s 13 local chapters in California, representing half a million members and supporters.