Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00928/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00928-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 16:1538 Endangered Species Act

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/ Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 25(d), Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Department

of the Interior is substituted for P. Lynn Scarlett, the previous Acting Secretary. 

Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC

BRENT PLATER

CA Bar No. 209555

Center for Biological Diversity

1095 Market Street, Suite 511

San Francisco, CA 94103

Telephone: (415) 436-9682

Fax: (415) 436-9683

Email: bplater@biologicaldiversity.org

Attorney for Plaintiff

KEVIN V. RYAN

United States Attorney

JAMES A. CODA

Assistant United States Attorney

450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055

San Francisco, CA 94102

Telephone: (415) 436-6967

Facsimile: (415) 436-6748

E-Mail: james.coda@usdoj.gov 

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

JEAN WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

REBECCA J. RILEY, Trial Attorney

IL Bar No. 6284356

U.S. Department of Justice

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0202

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Email: rebecca.riley@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendants

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, ) 06-CV-0928 SC

)

Plaintiff, ) STIPULATED SETTLEMENT

) AGREEMENT AND 

vs. ) [PROPOSED] ORDER

)

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, et al.,1

/ )

)

Defendants. ) )
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC - 2 -

Plaintiff, Center for Biological Diversity (“Center”) and Defendants, P. Lynn Scarlett, Acting

Secretary of the Interior (“Secretary”), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by and through their

undersigned counsel, state as follows:

WHEREAS, on April 8, 2004, the Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) received a petition

to list the Tricolored Blackbird as an endangered species, to designate critical habitat for the species,

and to provide listing on an emergency basis pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. §

1531 et seq. (“ESA”); 

WHEREAS, on February 13, 2006, the Center filed a complaint for declaratory and

injunctive relief, challenging the Secretary’s failure to issue a ninety-day finding in response to the

petition as required by 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A); 

WHEREAS, the parties, through their authorized representatives, and without any admission

or final adjudication of the issues of fact or law with respect to the Center’s claims, have reached

a settlement that they consider to be a just, fair, adequate, and equitable resolution of the disputes

set forth in Center’s complaint;

WHEREAS, the parties agree that settlement of this action in this manner is in the public

interest and is an appropriate way to resolve the dispute between them;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS STIPULATED BY AND BETWEEN THE PARTIES AS

FOLLOWS:

1. On or before December 6, 2006, the Service shall submit to the Federal Register a finding

as to whether the April 2004 petition presents substantial information indicating that listing the

Tricolored Blackbird may be warranted pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A). If the Service finds

that the petition has presented substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the

petitioned action may be warranted, the Service shall submit a twelve-month finding pursuant to 16

U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(B) to the Federal Register by October 18, 2007.

2. Either party may seek to modify the deadline for any actions specified in Paragraph 1 for

good cause shown, consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. In that event, or in the

event that either party believes that the other party has failed to comply with any term or condition
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC - 3 -

of this Agreement, the parties shall use the dispute resolution procedures specified in Paragraph 3.

3. The Order entering this Settlement Agreement (“Agreement”) may be modified by the

Court upon good cause shown, consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, by written

stipulation between the parties filed with and approved by the Court, or upon written motion filed

by one of the parties and granted by the Court. In the event that either party seeks to modify the

terms of this Agreement, including the deadline for the actions specified in Paragraph 1, or in the

event of a dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or in the event that either party

believes that the other party has failed to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement, the

party seeking the modification, raising the dispute or seeking enforcement, shall provide the other

party with written notice of the claim. The parties agree that they will meet and confer (in-person

not required) at the earliest possible time in a good-faith effort to resolve the claim before bringing

any matter to the Court. If the parties are unable to resolve the claim within thirty days after the

notice, either party may bring the claim to the Court.

4. No party shall use this Agreement or the terms herein as evidence of what does or does

not constitute a reasonable time line for issuing a ninety-day or twelve-month finding under 16

U.S.C. § 1533 in any other proceeding regarding the Service’s implementation of the ESA.

5. Defendants agree that Plaintiff is the “prevailing party” in this action, and agree to pay

Plaintiff reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, pursuant to Section 11(g) of the ESA, 16 U.S.C. §

1540 (g). Therefore, Defendants agree to settle all of Plaintiff’s claims for costs and attorneys’ fees

in the above-captioned litigation for a total of $ 6000. A check will be made payable in that amount

to Plaintiff’s undersigned counsel, Brent Plater, Center for Biological Diversity, 1095 Market St.,

Suite 511, San Francisco, CA 94103.

6. Defendants agree to submit all necessary paperwork for the processing of the attorneys’

fee award to the Department of the Treasury’s Judgment Fund Office, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. §

1540(g)(4), within ten (10) business days of receipt of the court order approving this stipulation.

7. Plaintiff agrees to accept payment of $ 6000 in full satisfaction of any and all claims for

attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation to which Plaintiff is entitled in the above-captioned litigation,
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC - 4 -

through and including the date of this agreement.

8. Plaintiff agrees that receipt of this payment from Defendants shall operate as a release of

Plaintiff’s claims for attorneys’ fees and costs in this matter, through and including the date of this

agreement.

9. The parties agree that Plaintiff reserves the right to seek additional fees and costs incurred

subsequent to this agreement arising from a need to enforce or defend against efforts to modify the

underlying schedule outlined in Paragraph 1, or for any other unforseen continuation of this action.

10. By this agreement, Defendants do not waive any right to contest fees claimed by Plaintiff

or Plaintiff’s counsel, including the hourly rate, in any future litigation, or continuation of the

present action. Further, this stipulation as to attorneys’ fees and costs has no precedential value and

shall not be used as evidence in any other attorneys’ fees litigation.

11. Subject to the qualifications in Paragraph 12, no provision of this Agreement shall be

interpreted as, or constitute, a commitment or requirement that Defendants take action in

contravention of the Endangered Species Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, or any other law

or regulation, either substantive or procedural. Nothing in this Settlement Agreement shall be

construed to limit or modify the discretion accorded to the Service by the ESA, the APA, or general

principles of administrative law with respect to the procedures to be followed in making any

determination required herein, or as to the substance of any final determination. 

12. No provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted as, or constitute, a commitment or

requirement that Defendant is obligated to spend funds in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31

U.S.C. § 1341. In response, Plaintiff asserts that this Agreement does not create a conflict with the

Anti-Deficiency Act because the duty to make petition findings is required in non-discretionary

terms by the ESA and because the Anti-Deficiency Act would not excuse compliance with a preexisting court-approved Agreement. Plaintiff intends to assert this position if the Service fails to

comply with the terms of this Agreement for reasons of insufficient appropriations. Defendants

reserve all legal and equitable defense to any argument by Plaintiff that the Anti-Deficiency Act

does not apply to non-discretionary duties required by the ESA.
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC - 5 -

13. The parties agree that this Settlement Agreement (“Agreement”) was negotiated in good

faith and it constitutes a settlement of claims that were vigorously contested, denied, and disputed

by the parties. By entering into this Agreement the parties do not waive any claim or defense.

14. The undersigned representatives of each party certify that they are fully authorized by

the party or parties they represent to agree to the Court’s entry of the terms and conditions of this

Agreement and do hereby agree to the terms herein.

15. The terms of this Agreement shall become effective upon entry of an order by the Court

ratifying the Agreement.

16. Upon approval of this Agreement by the Court, all counts of Plaintiff’s Complaint shall

be dismissed with prejudice, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1).

17. Notwithstanding the dismissal of this action, the parties hereby stipulate and respectfully

request that the Court retain jurisdiction to oversee compliance with the terms of this Agreement and

to resolve any motions to modify such terms. See Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am., 511

U.S. 375 (1994).
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC - 6 -

Dated: June 8, 2006

Respectfully submitted,

 /s/ Brent Plater (by RJR) 

BRENT PLATER

Center for Biological Diversity

KEVIN V. RYAN

United States Attorney

JAMES A. CODA

Assistant United States Attorney 

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Section Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Section Chief

_/s/ Rebecca J. Riley____________________ REBECCA J. RILEY, Trial Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Environment & Natural Resources Division

U.S. Department of Justice

PROPOSED ORDER

The terms and conditions of this Stipulated Settlement Agreement are hereby adopted as

an enforceable ORDER of this Court, and this matter is hereby DISMISSED with prejudice. 

Dated: this day of 2006.

 

United States District Judge

12 June

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORN

I

A

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Samuel Conti
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Proposed] Order

06-0928 SC - 7 -

KEVIN V. RYAN

United States Attorney

JAMES A. CODA

Assistant United States Attorney

450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055

San Francisco, CA 94102

Telephone: (415) 436-6967

Facsimile: (415) 436-6748

E-Mail: james.coda@usdoj.gov 

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

Environment & Natural Resources Division

JEAN WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

REBECCA J. RILEY, Trial Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0202

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Defendants

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NORTHERN DIVISION

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, ) 06-CV-0928 SC

)

Plaintiff, ) CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

vs. )

)

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, et al., )

)

Defendants. ) )

I certify that on this 8th day of June, 2006, a copy of the Stipulated Settlement

Agreement and [Proposed] Order was sent automatically by the CM/ECF system to the

following attorneys of record: 

Brent Plater

bplater@biologicaldiversity.org

Justin Augustine

jaugustine@biologicaldiversity.org

_/s/___Rebecca J. Riley______________ REBECCA J. RILEY