Group to sue over trout deaths linked to fire retardant

An environmental group announced plans to sue local and state fire agencies after studies linked the death of roughly 50 endangered steelhead trout to fire retardant dropped during the Jesusita fire. Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, a nonprofit group based in Oregon, filed yesterday a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, along with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Officials with the group said they hope the threat of a lawsuit will encourage agencies to establish regulations and practices to prevent endangered steelhead from being killed by fire retardant...read more