Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-00407/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-00407-81/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 42:4321 Review of Agency Action-Environment

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-1-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

COUNSEL IDENTIFICATION ON FINAL PAGE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THE DELTA SMELT CASES CASE NO. 1:09-cv-407-OWW-DLB

1:09-cv-422-OWW-DLB

1:09-cv-631-OWW-DLB

1:09-cv-892-OWW-GSA

PARTIALLY CONSOLIDATED WITH:

1:09-cv-480-OWW-GSA

1:09-cv-1201-OWW-DLB

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER 

AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR 

TRANSMITTAL OF DRAFT SMELT 

BIOLOGICAL OPINION

Judge: Honorable Oliver W. Wanger

SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA 

WATER AUTHORITY, et al. v. 

SALAZAR, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-407)

STATE WATER CONTRACTORS v. 

SALAZAR, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-422)

COALITION FOR A SUSTAINABLE 

DELTA, et al. v. UNITED STATES FISH 

AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, et al.

(Case No. 1:09-cv-480)

METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT v. 

UNITED STATES FISH & WILDLIFE 

SERVICE, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-631)

STEWART & JASPER ORCHARDS, 

et al. v. UNITED STATES FISH AND 

WILDLIFE SERVICE, et al. 

(Case No. 1:09-cv-892)

FAMILY FARM ALLIANCE v. 

SALAZAR, et al. (Case No. 09-cv-1201)

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 1 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-2-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

RECITALS

1. On May 19, 2011, this Court entered its Amended Judgment in these Delta Smelt 

Consolidated Cases requiring the United States Fish and Wildlife Service ("FWS") to "transmit to 

[the Bureau of] Reclamation by October 1, 2011 a draft delta smelt Biological Opinion (“BiOp”) 

consistent with the requirements of law." (Amended Judgment, Doc. 884 at 3:18-19.) 

2. On September 20, 2011, the Court entered its Memorandum Decision re Cross 

Motions for Summary Judgment (Doc. 633) in the Consolidated Salmonid Cases, Case No. 1:09-

cv-01053-OWW-DLB regarding the 2009 Salmonid Biological Opinion ("2009 Salmonid 

BiOp"). This decision found the 2009 Salmonid BiOp and its RPA arbitrary, capricious, and 

unlawful, and remanded the 2009 Salmonid BiOp to the National Marine Fisheries Service for 

further consideration in accordance with the Court’s decision and the requirements of law.

3. In light of the recent ruling in the Consolidated Salmonid Cases, described above,

the United States Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”) must reevaluate the project description 

that will serve as the basis for the Section 7 consultation for the draft delta smelt BiOp.

4. In light of the Court’s decision regarding the 2009 Salmonid BiOp, each of the 

undersigned parties agrees that the current deadline for completion of the draft delta smelt BiOp

should be extended to enable Reclamation to reevaluate and potentially modify the current project 

description.

5. Furthermore, Federal Defendants and some of the parties have discussed greater 

participation in the consultation process for a new delta smelt BiOp. In order to fully explore 

whether discussions among the parties may result in a restructuring of the consultation process, 

and whether additional time may be required to complete a restructured consultation on the draft 

delta smelt BiOp, all parties believe that the modification below to the draft BiOp schedule is 

appropriate, and will be mutually beneficial.

Good cause exists for the granting of the below requested schedule change for transmittal 

of the draft delta smelt BiOp, and the parties respectfully request that the date set by this Court be 

modified as shown below.

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 2 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-3-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

STIPULATION

Plaintiffs San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, Westlands Water District, State 

Water Contractors, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Coalition for a 

Sustainable Delta, Kern County Water Agency, Stewart & Jasper Orchards, Arroyo Farms, LLC, 

King Pistachio Grove, and Family Farm Alliance (“Plaintiffs”), Plaintiff-Intervenor California 

Department of Water Resources (“DWR”), Federal Defendants, and Defendant-Intervenors 

Natural Resources Defense Council and The Bay Institute, by and through their respective 

counsel, hereby stipulate and agree as follows:

1. The October 1, 2011 deadline in the Amended Judgment for transmittal of the draft 

delta smelt Biological Opinion is hereby vacated.

2. By October 31, 2011, the parties shall file with the Court a written report, preferably a 

joint report, stating whether the parties have jointly agreed upon a revised completion date for the 

draft delta smelt BiOp.

3. If there is not agreement among all parties on any completion date for the draft BiOp, 

then the draft BiOp shall be transmitted no later than November 11, 2011.

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 3 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-4-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

Dated: September 30, 2011 H. CRAIG MANSON

Westlands Water District

DIEPENBROCK ELKIN, LLP

KRONICK, MOSKOVITZ, TIEDEMANN & 

GIRARD

A Professional Corporation

By : ______/s/

DANIEL J. O’HANLON

EILEEN M. DIEPENBROCK

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER 

AUTHORITY and WESTLANDS WATER 

DISTRICT

Dated: September 30, 2011 BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK LLP

By: ______/s/

 STEVE O. SIMS

MICHELLE C. KALES

Attorneys for Plaintiff

WESTLANDS WATER DISTRICT

Dated: September 30, 2011 BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP

By: ______/s/

 GREGORY K. WILKINSON

STEVEN M. ANDERSON

PAETER E. GARCIA

MELISSA R. CUSHMAN

Attorneys for Plaintiff

STATE WATER CONTRACTORS

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 4 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-5-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

Dated: September 30, 2011 NOSSAMAN LLP

By: ______/s/

 ROBERT D. THORNTON

PAUL S. WEILAND

AUDREY HUANG

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

COALITION FOR A SUSTAINABLE DELTA

and KERN COUNTY WATER AGENCY

Dated: September 30, 2011 MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP

By: ______/s/

CHRISTOPHER J. CARR

WILLIAM M. SLOAN

Attorneys for Plaintiff

THE METROPOLITAN WATER

DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Dated: September 30, 2011 PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

By: ______/s/

M. REED HOPPER

DAMIEN M. SCHIFF

BRANDON M. MIDDLETON

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

STEWART & JASPER ORCHARDS; 

ARROYO FARMS, LLC; and KING 

PISTACHIO GROVE

Dated: September 30, 2011 THE BRENDA DAVIS LAW GROUP

By: ______/s/

BRENDA W. DAVIS

LESLIE R. WAGLEY

Attorneys For Plaintiff

FAMILY FARM ALLIANCE

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 5 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-6-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

Dated: September 30, 2011 KAMALA D. HARRIS, ATTORNEY GENERAL 

OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

By: ______/s/

CLIFFORD T. LEE

CECILIA L. DENNIS

MICHAEL M. EDSON

ALLISON GOLDSMITH

Deputies Attorney General

Attorneys for Plaintiff-In-Intervention 

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER 

RESOURCES

Dated: September 30, 2011 IGNACIA S. MORENO, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY 

GENERAL

United States Department of Justice, Environmental 

& Natural Resources Division

SETH M. BARSKY, CHIEF

By: ______/s/

S. JAY GOVINDAN

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Attorneys for FEDERAL DEFENDANTS

Dated: September 30, 2011 By: ______/s/

KATHERINE POOLE (SBN 195010)

DOUG OBEGI (SBN 246127)

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

111 Sutter St., 20th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94104

Telephone: (415) 875-6100

Facsimile: (415) 875-6161

Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenor

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

By: /s/

TRENT W. ORR (SBN 77656)

GEORGE M. TORGUN (SBN 222085)

EARTHJUSTICE

426 17th Street, 5th Floor

Oakland, CA 94612

Telephone: (510) 550-6725

Facsimile: (510) 550-6749

Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenors

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL; 

THE BAY INSTITUTE

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 6 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

-1-

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

ORDER

Based on the stipulation of the above parties, the Court hereby vacates the October 1, 

2011 deadline in the Amended Judgment (Doc. 884), for transmittal of the draft delta smelt 

Biological Opinion (“BiOp”). By October 31, 2011, the parties shall file with the Court a written 

report, preferably a joint report, stating whether the parties have jointly agreed upon a revised 

completion date for the draft delta smelt BiOp. If there is not agreement among all parties on any 

completion date for the draft BiOp, then the draft BiOp shall be transmitted no later than 

November 11, 2011.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 30, 2011 /s/ Oliver W. Wanger 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE DEAC_Signature-END:

emm0d64h

Case 1:09-cv-00407-LJO-BAM Document 1061 Filed 09/30/11 Page 7 of 7