California Escapes Claim for Killing Rare Fish While Fixing Road

An environmental group failed to convince a federal court that a California agency illegally harmed an endangered fish while repairing U.S. Highway 101 near Santa Barbara, Calif.

The California Department of Transportation proceeded with emergency repairs of the highway after heavy storms in December 2022 and January 2023 threatened the road’s stability. But the fact that the required permit for the project was granted after the fish were killed during repairs doesn’t make the action unlawful, Judge Dale S. Fischer of the US District Court for the Central District of California said Thursday.

Coastal Ranches Conservancy sued the California Department ...