Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-01703/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-01703-14/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 33:1319 Clean Water Act

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128712134.1 1 Case No. 2:20-cv-01703-DB

LEWIS

BRISBOIS

BISGAARD

& SMITH LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP

GLENN A. FRIEDMAN, SB# 104442

 E-Mail: Glenn.Friedman@lewisbrisbois.com

45 Fremont Street, Suite 3000

San Francisco, California 9405-2256

Telephone: 415.362.2580

Facsimile: 415.434.0882

LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP

JOSEPH A. SALAZAR JR., SB# 169551

 E-Mail: Joe.Salazar@lewisbrisbois.com

2020 West El Camino Avenue, Suite 700

Sacramento, California 95833

Telephone: 916.564.5400

Facsimile: 916.564.5444

OLSSON FRANK WEEDA TERMAN MATZ PC

STEWART D. FRIED, (Pro Hac Vice)

E-Mail: sfried@ofwlaw.com

GARY H. BAISE (Pro Hac Vice)

E-Mail: vthedgerow@aol.com

2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 4003

Washington DC 20006

Telephone: 202.518.6326

Attorneys for Defendant

COSUMNES CORPORATION dba MURIETA 

EQUESTRIAN CENTER

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE,

Plaintiff,

vs.

COSUMNES CORPORATION dba 

MURIETA EQUESTRIAN CENTER,

Defendant.

No. 2:20-cv-01703 DB

JOINT STIPULATION RE PHASE II 

BRIEFING SCHEDULE AND ORDER

Pursuant to the Court’s Order (ECF No. 99) directing the parties to file a proposed stipulated 

further schedule, the parties respectfully submit the following proposed Phase II briefing schedules:

On February 9, 2022, this Court entered an Order (ECF No. 41) trifurcating this action into 

three phases. 

Case 2:20-cv-01703-SCR Document 101 Filed 09/05/23 Page 1 of 6
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128712134.1 2 Case No. 2:20-cv-01703-DB

LEWIS

BRISBOIS

BISGAARD

& SMITH LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

The Parties have been unable to reach agreement on a schedule for Phase II, and hereby 

respectfully submit their respective positions. 

The Parties agree that opening briefs and opposition briefs on summary judgment shall be 

limited to 25 pages, and any reply shall be limited to 15 pages.

The parties are amenable to appearing at a Case Management Conference in the event that 

the Court so desires.

Plaintiff’s Statement

Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Murieta Equestrian Center (“MEC”) violates the Clean 

Water Act (“CWA”) by operating a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (“CAFO”) that 

discharges pollutants to Waters of the United States (“WOTUS”), without a CWA permit. 

The Phase I scheduling order already provided an entire discovery phase “related to 

standing and whether Defendant’s facility discharges pollutants to Waters of the United States” 

(dkt. 41 at 3), which the Parties and the Court deemed complete as of July 18, 2022. Dkt. 64 at 3. 

Plaintiff contends discovery, and expert disclosures, related to discharges of pollutants, is and 

should be closed, since discovery on “discharges [of] pollutants” was expressly provided for by

the Phase I discovery order; and as such, each party produced extensive expert reports and

deposition testimony on this topic during Phase I. Plaintiff opposes Defendant’s proposed Phase II 

discovery schedule on the basis that Defendant seeks to redo discovery and expert testimony 

related to discharges of pollutants from the Facility. Reopening discovery on these issues would be 

grossly inefficient, redundant, and lead to wasteful discovery disputes. With all discovery closed 

related to discharge of pollutants to WOTUS, and Article III standing, any Phase II discovery 

should be limited to (1) whether MEC is a CAFO, (2) whether MEC has a CWA permit, and (3) 

remedies.

Moreover, Plaintiff is prepared to move for CWA liability on summary judgment with no 

further discovery from any party related to CWA liability. Discovery related to standing, 

discharges of pollutants, and WOTUS, is closed. Defendant has already propounded discovery

Case 2:20-cv-01703-SCR Document 101 Filed 09/05/23 Page 2 of 6
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128712134.1 3 Case No. 2:20-cv-01703-DB

LEWIS

BRISBOIS

BISGAARD

& SMITH LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

seeking all evidence on which Plaintiff bases its claim that MEC is a CAFO,1and has stipulated 

that it does not possess a CWA permit.2 Accordingly, Plaintiff proposes that CWA liability be 

resolved by a motion for summary judgment as follows, and that Phase II discovery on remedies 

be bifurcated to after a ruling on liability:

Plaintiff’s MSJ opening brief: October 6, 2023

Defendant’s opposition brief: November 8, 2023

Plaintiff’s reply: November 27, 2023

Within 10 days of any ruling on Plaintiff’s MSJ, the parties shall present a joint statement 

regarding scheduling for Phase II, including trial and remedies.

Alternatively, if the Court is inclined to permit further discovery now, regarding (1) 

whether MEC is a CAFO, (2) whether MEC possesses a CWA permit, and (3) remedies, Plaintiff 

proposes that CWA liability be resolved on the following schedule:

Fact Discovery Closes: December 1, 2023

Expert Reports Due: January 15, 2024

Expert Rebuttals Due: February 15, 2024

Expert Discovery Closes: March 31, 2024

MSJ opening brief: May 15, 2024

MSJ opposition: June 14, 2024

MSJ reply: June 28, 2024

Within 10 days of any ruling on MSJ, the parties shall present a joint statement regarding 

scheduling for Phase II, including trial and remedies.

Defendant’s Statement

Defendant respectfully submits that discovery relating to CWA liability and remedies is 

necessary prior to briefing of summary judgment on those issues. No discovery has yet been taken 

1 Dkt. 89-002, Decl. of James Thomas Brett ISO Plaintiff’s Reply ISO Phase I Motion for 

Summary Judgment (“Brett Dec.”), Ex. A at 7 & 10, Ex. B.

2 Dkt. 89-001, Pl. Reply SUF No. 2-4.

Case 2:20-cv-01703-SCR Document 101 Filed 09/05/23 Page 3 of 6
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128712134.1 4 Case No. 2:20-cv-01703-DB

LEWIS

BRISBOIS

BISGAARD

& SMITH LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

on all such issues and the Defendant would be prejudiced in the event that it was not permitted to 

conduct fact and expert witness discovery on those issues. Additionally, while Defendant stipulated 

it does not possess an individual NPDES permit, Defendant has always contended that any nonexempt discharges from MEC’s production area to a WOTUS are covered by the NPDES permit

issued to the Rancho Murieta Community Services District (“RMCSD.”) Accordingly, Defendant 

proposes the following fact and expert witness discovery schedule and a Phase II summary judgment 

motion briefing schedule.

Defendant’s Proposed Schedule

April 26, 2024 – Deadline for Completion of Phase II Fact Discovery;

May 24, 2024 – Parties to disclose Phase II Expert Witness Reports;

June 21, 2024 – Deadline for Completion of Initial Expert Depositions;

July 12, 2024 – Parties to Disclose Phase II Expert Rebuttal Reports;

August 9, 2024 – Deadline for Completion of Rebuttal Expert Witness Depositions;

September 13, 2024 – Deadline for Submission of Phase II Summary Judgment Motions;

October 11, 2024 – Deadline for Submission of Oppositions to Parties Phase II Summary Judgment 

Motions;

November 1, 2024 – Deadline for Submission of Reply Briefs in support of their Phase II Summary 

Judgment Motions.

Within 10 days of any ruling on the Parties’ Phase II summary judgment motions, they shall meet 

and confer on whether the case should be referred back to Magistrate Judge Newman for further 

mediation, or otherwise present a joint proposed schedule to the Court for Phase III.

Case 2:20-cv-01703-SCR Document 101 Filed 09/05/23 Page 4 of 6
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128712134.1 5 Case No. 2:20-cv-01703-DB

LEWIS

BRISBOIS

BISGAARD

& SMITH LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

DATED: August 30, 2023 AQUA TERRA AERIS (ATA) LAW GROUP

By: /s/ Jason R. Flanders

JASON R. FLANDERS

Attorneys for Plaintiff

CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE

DATED: August 30, 2023 CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE

By: /s/ Drevet J. Hunt (as authorized on 8/30/23)

DREVET J. HUNT

Attorneys for Plaintiff

CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE

DATED: August 30, 2023 OLSSON FRANK WEEDA TERMAN MATZ PC

LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP

By: /s/ Glenn A. Friedman (as authorized on 8/30/23)

GLENN A. FRIEDMAN

Attorneys for Defendant

COSUMNES CORPORATION dba MURIETA 

EQUESTRIAN CENTER

Case 2:20-cv-01703-SCR Document 101 Filed 09/05/23 Page 5 of 6
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128712134.1 6 Case No. 2:20-cv-01703-DB

LEWIS

BRISBOIS

BISGAARD

& SMITH LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

ORDER

Good cause appearing therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Discovery related to standing, discharges of pollutants, and Waters of the United States, 

remains closed.

2. Phase II discovery shall be limited to (1) whether MEC is a CAFO, (2) whether MEC 

possesses a CWA permit, and (3) remedies.

3. Phase II Expert Reports are due January 19, 2024.

4. Phase II Expert Rebuttals are due February 16, 2024.

5. Phase II Discovery closes March 1, 2024.

6. Phase II motions for summary judgment shall be filed on or before May 17, 2024.

7. Oppositions to phase II motions for summary judgment shall be filed on or before June 

14, 2024.

8. Replies to Phase II motions for summary judgment shall be filed on or before June 28, 

2024.

9. Opening briefs and opposition briefs on summary judgment shall be limited to 25 

pages, and any reply shall be limited to 15 pages.

10. Within 10 days of any ruling on the outstanding Phase II motions for summary 

judgment, the parties shall present a joint statement regarding further scheduling.

Dated: September 5, 2023

DLB:6

DB/orders/orders.consent/coastkeeper1703.stip.phaseII.ord

Case 2:20-cv-01703-SCR Document 101 Filed 09/05/23 Page 6 of 6