PETALUMA, Calif. (AP) - State transportation officials will remove nets under a Northern California bridge as part of a settlement with environmental groups concerned about the nets’ effect on federally protected birds.
Environmentalists had sued Caltrans over the nets on the Highway 101 bridge over the Petaluma River in Sonoma County, saying they entangled and killed dozens of cliff swallows during last year’s nesting season.
The nets were intended to keep the swallows out of a construction zone. Contractors are working on the bridge as part of a project to widen Highway 101 in the area.
The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa reports (https://bit.ly/1axlWZm ) that the deal was reached on Thursday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.