Couple Fined Nearly $600K For Uprooting 180-Year-Old Tree

A California judge has ordered a couple to pay nearly $600,000 for uprooting a 180-year-old oak tree and causing other damage to a protected property. Matt Yurus reports.

[MichaelOnines]

They were only charged about $25K for killing this large old oak tree. Another $25K for a different large old oak tree they killed, and $25K for a third large old oak tree they killed. They don't appear to have been charged for the other 12 oaks they killed on the way to these three. The remaining $500K includes $300K for putting back all the regrading they did to create a haul road, and re-excavate a seasonal pond they filled in. The final $200K went about 50/50 to reimburse legal fees for the enforcement action and expert witness expenses.

The Press Democrat article included enough information to make a reasonable report, but this reporter hacked even that summary down for his 30-second headline and left out all the context.