Environmentalists Sue Feds Over Removing Trees From San Joaquin Valley Levees
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Three California environmental groups are suing the Army Corps of Engineers over a federal policy that could require removal of millions of trees from San Joaquin Valley levees.
The Army Corps of Engineers, which sets national standards for levee safety, unveiled a revised maintenance policy in 2007 that bars trees and shrubs on levees. The policy hasn't been enforced so far in California.
The federal court suit filed Monday in Sacramento by Friends of the River, Defenders of Wildlife and the Center for Biological Diversity claims the policy violates the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Sacramento Bee says levee vegetation in California composes much of the remaining 5 percent of the Central Valley's historic riparian forest, providing crucial shade and habitat for migrating endangered fish and birds.
