Del Norte County Superior Court
This a case of rivers versus roads. Defendant State of California Department of Transportation (“Caltrans”) has chosen to endanger a Wild and Scenic River in the Smith River National Recreation Area to benefit large commercial trucks. Caltrans approved a project captioned “197/199 Safe STAA Access Project” (the “197/199 Project”) to allow major modifications to segments of State Highways 197 and 199 for the purpose of allowing access by large STAA trucks. With this approval, Caltrans failed to meet fundamental requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Department of Transportation Act of 1966, and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Smith River is a profound natural resource, as one of the crown jewels of the National Wild and Scenic River system. CPM's clients challenge Caltrans’s approval of the 197/199 Project and are committed to taking all possible steps to preserve the unique and precious resources impacted by this Project--community water sources, world class sport fishing, and critical habitat for several endangered species, and remarkable scenic and aesthetic values.
