Gopher tortoise protection laws halt $5 million drainage project in Santa Rosa County

SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. — Santa Rosa County began to fix a problem spot for flooding on Pine Blossom Road — digging ditches to lay culvert pipes for storm water to flow through — but all that construction has come to a stop.

The reason? Gopher tortoises, which burrow in sandy areas like parts of Pine Blossom.

Now, the county could pay upwards of $100,000 to have them removed…

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