Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-03604/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-03604-23/pdf.json

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

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Federal Defendants’ Status Report Submitted May 17, 2010 

Case No. 4: 06-3604 (PJH)

IGNACIA S. MORENO

Assistant Attorney General

U.S. Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

ERIK PETERSEN 

Trial Attorney, D.C. Bar No. 489073

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Tel. (202) 305-0202 Fax: (202) 305-0275

erik.petersen@usdoj.gov 

CAROL L. DRAPER

Trial Attorney, PA Bar No. 39388 

Natural Resources Section, P.O. Box 663

Washington, D.C. 20044-0663

Tel: (202) 305-0465 Fax: (202) 305-0506

carol.draper@usdoj.gov

MEREDITH WEINBERG

Trial Attorney, VA Bar No. 47516

Environmental Defense Section, P.O. Box 23986

Washington, D.C. 20026-3986

Tel. 202-514-2593; Fax: 202-514-8865

meredith.weinberg@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

OAKLAND DIVISION

CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, et al., ) Case No. 4: 06-3604 PJH (JCS)

)

Plaintiffs, ) STATUS REPORT 

) SUBMITTED BY 

) FEDERAL DEFENDANTS

v. ) 

)

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL ) Judge: Honorable Phyllis J. Hamilton 

PROTECTION AGENCY, et al., )

)

Defendants. )

 )

Pursuant to the Order dated December 2, 2008, the Federal Defendants, United States

Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and

United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), submit this Report on the Corps’ progress

toward preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Sunridge Properties Project

AND ORDER

Case 4:06-cv-03604-PJH Document 255 Filed 06/01/10 Page 1 of 5
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/ As also previously reported, the EIS will cover the six properties listed above which, along 1

with three additional properties, made up the Sunridge Specific Plan. The remaining three properties

(North Douglas, Montelena and Sunridge Park) will not be part of the primary evaluation covered

by the EIS, but will be considered in analyzing cumulative effects, along with the incremental

impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions. (See Federal Defendants’

Status Report submitted November 16, 2009, Exhibit C.)

Federal Defendants’ Status Report Submitted May 17, 2010 

Case No. 4: 06-3604 (PJH) - 2 -

(Sunridge Properties EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321

et seq., and appropriate Corps guidance, standards and policy. 

1. Under the “Order Granting Motion by Plaintiffs and Federal Defendants to Stay

Proceedings,” dated December 2, 2008 (Doc. No. 245), this action is stayed until November 17,

2010, pending the Corps’ completion of the EIS, with the Corps reporting its progress to the Court

on May 17, 2010 and other specified dates. 

2. As Federal Defendants previously reported on November 16, 2009 (Doc. No. 251), the

Corps has been working with its third party contractor, Brown and Caldwell (Brown),to prepare an

EIS that will address the environmental impact of the projects known as Anatolia IV [ Permit No.

199400210], Sunridge Village J [Permit No. 200100230], Grantline 208 [Permit No. 199400365],

Douglas Road 98 [Permit No. 200200568], Arista del Sol [Permit No. 200400458], and Douglas

Road 103 [Permit No. 199700006] located in Rancho Cordova, California. / 1

3. Since Federal Defendants last reported to theCourt in November, 2009, Brown completed

several additional steps in the process of preparing the EIS, and Corps staff have continued working

closely with Brown to provide information and commentary. 

4. In January and February, 2010, Brown submitted sections of a Preliminary Draft EIS for

the Corps’ review and comment. 

5. After addressing and incorporating comments provided by the Corps, on April 30, 2010,

Brown submitted an Administrative Draft EIS for the Corps’ review. 

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Federal Defendants’ Status Report Submitted May 17, 2010 

Case No. 4: 06-3604 (PJH) - 3 -

6. The Corps is presently completing its internal review of the Administrative Draft EIS.

7. In May, 2010, the Corps circulated the Administrative Draft EIS to USEPA and the FWS

and also circulated Chapters 1 and 2 of the Administrative Draft EIS describing the various projects

that comprise the Sunridge Specific Plan to the Intervenors. 

8. Once the Corps has completed its internal review process and comments have been

appropriately addressed, the Corps will release a Draft EIS for public review and comment. 

9. Barring any unanticipated delays or unforeseen issues, the Corps anticipates releasing a

Draft EIS for public review and comment no later than June 30, 2010. 

WHEREFORE, Federal Defendants request that this case remain stayed pending the

Corps’ completion of the EIS consistent with the Order dated December 2, 2008. 

Dated: May 17, 2010

Respectfully submitted,

IGNACIA S. MORENO

Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

 /s/ Carol L. Draper 

CAROL L. DRAPER, Trial Attorney

Natural Resource Section 

ERIK PETERSEN, Trial Attorney

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

MEREDITH WEINBERG, Trial Attorney 

Environmental Defense Section

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

OF COUNSEL: 

Lisa Clay

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

1325 J Street

Room 1340

Sacramento, California 95814

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Federal Defendants’ Status Report Submitted May 17, 2010 

Case No. 4: 06-3604 (PJH) - 4 -

Thomas Hagler 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9

75 Hawthorne St., Mail Code ORC-2

San Francisco, CA 94105

Veronica Rowan FWS

Office of the Regional Solicitor

U.S. Department of the Interior

2800 Cottage Way

Room E-1712

Sacramento, CA 95825-1890

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORN

I

A

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton

6/1/10

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Federal Defendants’ Status Report Submitted May 17, 2010 

Case No. 4: 06-3604 (PJH) - 5 -

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on May 17, 2010, I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of

the Court using the CM/ECF system which will send notification to the counsel of record. 

 /s/ Carol L. Draper 

CAROL L. DRAPER

Case 4:06-cv-03604-PJH Document 255 Filed 06/01/10 Page 5 of 5