{"id":444912,"date":"2026-08-27T08:02:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T08:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/444912\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T08:02:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T08:02:25","slug":"was-oc-public-works-hiding-internal-talks-about-threatened-mountain-lions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/444912\/","title":{"rendered":"Was OC Public Works Hiding Internal Talks About Threatened Mountain Lions?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s lots of conversations going on behind closed doors between local, state and regional officials about what it takes to prevent mountain lions from going extinct in OC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These conversations include reactions to mountain lion deaths, meeting arrangements and dates and coordination on wildlife culverts, jut outs and fencing concerns.<\/p>\n

[Read: From Backcountry to Museums: OC Mountain Lions at the Brink of Extinction<\/a>]<\/p>\n

But county officials seemingly don\u2019t want the public to be involved.<\/p>\n

On July 21, Voice of OC requested to inspect \u201cany and all communication between OC Public Works and Caltrans regarding wildlife fencing, wildlife safety, wildlife crossings or any other wildlife mitigation related efforts in regards to mountain lions in the last year\u201d under Califrornia\u2019s Public Records Act.<\/p>\n

After seeking an extension, OC Public Works took three weeks to formally respond that the dialogue with state officials about mountain lions did not exist.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But they did.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another records request to the Orange County Transportation Authority \u2013 worded exactly the same as the one submitted to OC Public Works \u2013 inadvertently revealed direct communication between county public works employees and a Caltrans biologist, raising questions about the agency\u2019s compliance with the California Public Records Act.<\/p>\n

Unlike the county\u2019s public works agency, Orange County\u2019s Transportation Authority immediately complied with Voice of OC\u2019s public records request \u2013 delivering detailed conversations among officials about mountain lions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conversations that included\u2026OC Public Works.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OCTA records showed consistent email conversations between a OC Public Works regulatory permitting manager and a Caltrans District 12 biologist discussing meeting dates and wildlife mitigation strategies.<\/p>\n

There were 13 different emails sent between the OC Public Works official and the biologist dating back as early as December 2025 and as recently as February 2026 about things like wildlife fencing, protective measures and a mountain lion death.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In many cases, the email subject head listed on the message made the conversation seemingly clear, including examples like:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Los Patrones Parkway Extension \u2013 Wildlife Movement Study Catchup<\/p>\n

Re: Case 233538 \u2013 Request for Wildlife Crossing Signage and Protective Measures on Live Oak Canyon Road, and\u00a0<\/p>\n

Re: Mountain lion killed on Santiago Canyon Road 1\/19\/26<\/p>\n

In response to questions about their refusal to provide clearly identifiable public records, OC Public Works responded quickly, apologized for the oversight and re-opened the request just a day after being asked for comment.<\/p>\n

The agency ultimately provided 108 pages of responsive records \u2013 with conversations largely focusing on how county efforts to save mountain lions are faring.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Complying With Public Records Requests<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the first time the department has faced questions regarding their compliance with the state public records law.<\/p>\n

An activist group known as the Creek Team<\/a> \u2013 who focus on protecting Orange County waterways from herbicide use \u2013 have also reported troubles with the agency regarding records requests.<\/p>\n

\"\"Wildlife in the San Juan Creek in Orange County on Thursday, July 16, 2026. San Juan Creek has been a focal point for the Creek Team\u2019s push to end OC Public Works\u2019 use of herbicides in Orange County waterways. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

Creek Team Founder Brent Linas said the agency has been incredibly difficult to work with, they often release public records past the legal time frame allotted under the Public Records Act and many of the records provided are not responsive to their request.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like if you go to a steakhouse and you order a nice big rib-eye,\u201d Linas said, \u201cAnd you sit and you wait and the waiter brings you a ham sandwich.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Robert Beard, a scientist with the Creek Team, echoed Linas\u2019 comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will just search up anything and send you thousands of pages that are unrelated,\u201d said Beard, adding, \u201cThey keep giving me something not useful and then delaying another month.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linas said he believes OC Public Works does this systematically and on purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey want to make it so painful for you to get these records that you\u2019re not going to even bother,\u201d he said. \u201cThe consequences through the law for not complying are not nearly damaging enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

OC Public Works Spokeswoman Jamie Cargo said it takes time to put together public records, review them and determine if they can be disclosed or if they need to be redacted before releasing them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen there is a large volume of records or an ongoing review, OC Public Works generally makes responsive, non-exempt records available on a rolling basis until all records not subject to an exemption have been produced,\u201d Cargo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, on the Voice of OC records request, OC Public Works officials stated that they will continue to look for responsive records, adding the next installment could be released on or around Sept 18.<\/p>\n

\u201cOC Public Works takes its obligations under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) seriously and is committed to providing responsive, non-exempt public records as promptly as reasonably possible,\u201d added Cargo.<\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t any penalties for a public agency violating the Public Records Act, under current law.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Experts say the main legal process to check a rogue public agency is litigation, which can be expensive and difficult for an average citizen seeking records.<\/p>\n

California\u2019s First Amendment Coalition<\/a> Legal Director David Loy said it can be helpful to negotiate with the agency themselves and try to get your records that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the ultimate recourse to enforce a CPRA request is to file a lawsuit, sometimes it can be productive to advocate or negotiate informally with an agency to see if that will solve the problem,\u201d said Loy.<\/p>\n

Yet there\u2019s also times when activists say agencies are just resistant to release records revealing shortcomings or worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And in those cases, they say, negotiating only goes so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Creek Team activists confirmed they are exploring a lawsuit against OC Public Works over the agency\u2019s failure to respond to public records requests.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have made clear that they will not willingly be transparent as the law requires,\u201d said Linas. \u201cWe will drag them before a judge if they fail to produce the documents we know they possess.\u201d<\/p>\n

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