Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) made the rebuilding of neighborhoods destroyed by the Los Angeles wildfires significantly easier this month by signing an executive order suspending enforcement of the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act for counties affected by the fire. By doing so, he also effectively admitted that these laws are a big part of why California has the highest home and energy prices in the nation.

“California leads the nation in environmental stewardship. I’m not going to give that up,” Newsom said, signing the order even while the environment of which he is chief steward was being incinerated and the smoke over Southern California was blotting out the sun. “But one thing I won’t give into is delay,” he added. “Delay is denial for people: lives, traditions, places torn apart, torn asunder.”