California is dialing back parts of its pioneering environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which has long been both praised for protecting ecosystems and criticized for slowing down housing and infrastructure projects. The changes aim to speed up approvals for certain developments, but critics worry it’ll weaken environmental safeguards.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just bureaucratic tweaking—CEQA has shaped California’s landscape for decades, affecting everything from solar farms to apartment buildings. The state’s trying to balance green goals with its housing crisis, but loosening rules could spark fights between developers, activists, and communities. Watch this space: how California handles this could set a tone for other states wrestling with similar tensions.