California Highway Repairs May Hurt Endangered Trout, Judge Says

The California Department of Transportation must face a suit over maintenance on U.S. Highway 101 after a federal judge ruled an endangered trout species may be hurt by construction barriers.

A repair project in Santa Barbara County requires further review to determine if barriers placed in the Gaviota Creek significantly harms the habitat of the Southern California Steelhead, according to an opinion issued by US District Court for the Central District of California.

Coastal Ranches Conservancy sufficiently proved standing to bring the Endangered Species Act, but Judge Dale S. Fischer said it’s too soon to determine if the transportation agency ...