Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-04324/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-04324-6/pdf.json

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

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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. C-04-4324 WHA 

 

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Brendan Cummings (CA Bar No. 193952) 

Kassia Siegel (CA Bar No. 209497) 

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 

P.O. Box 549 

Joshua Tree, CA 92252 

Phone: (760) 366-2232 

Facsimile: (760) 366-2669 

Email: bcummings@biologicaldiversity.org 

Email: ksiegel@biologicaldiversity.org 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 

Linda Krop (CA Bar No. 118773) 

Karen M. Kraus (CA Bar No. 181756) 

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE CENTER 

906 Garden Street 

Santa Barbara, CA 93101 

Telephone: (805) 963-1622 

Facsimile: (805) 962-3152 

Email: lkrop@edcnet.org 

Email: kkraus@edcnet.org 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE CENTER 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION 

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, a 

non-profit corporation, and ENVIRONMENTAL 

DEFENSE CENTER, a non-profit corporation, 

 Plaintiffs, 

 vs. 

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE and 

GALE A. NORTON, Secretary of the Interior, 

 Defendants. 

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Case No. C-04 4324 WHA 

STIPULATION SETTLING PLAINTIFFS’ 

CLAIM FOR FEES AND COSTS AND 

[PROPOSED] ORDER 

Case 3:04-cv-04324-WHA Document 74 Filed 09/28/05 Page 1 of 4
Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. C-04-4324 WHA Page 1 

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Plaintiffs Center for Biological Diversity and Environmental Defense Center and Defendants 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Gale Norton, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior 

(collectively, “the Service”), by and through their undersigned counsel, say as follows: 

WHEREAS on August 4, 2004, the Service issued a final rule downlisting the Santa Barbara 

County distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander (“Santa Barbara population”) and 

the Sonoma County distinct population segment of the California tiger salamander (“Sonoma 

population”) from “endangered” status to “threatened” status under the Endangered Species Act, 

eliminating the status of these populations as distinct population segments, listing the California tiger 

salamander, including the Central California population of the California tiger salamander (Central 

California population), rangewide as “threatened”, and adopting a special regulation pursuant to Section 

4(d) of the Endangered Species Act authorizing take of the California tiger salamander if it occurs as a 

result of routine ranching practices;

WHEREAS on October 13, 2004, Plaintiffs filed a Complaint against the Service challenging 

the portions of the August 4, 2004 rule downlisting the Santa Barbara and Sonoma populations, 

eliminating their status as distinct population segments, and adopting the Section 4(d) special 

regulation, as well as the failure of the Service to designate critical habitat for the Central California 

and Sonoma populations; 

WHEREAS on February 3, 2005, this Court approved Plaintiffs’ and Defendants’ settlement on 

Plaintiffs’ Fifth Claim for Relief providing for the designation of critical habitat by dates certain for the 

Central California salamander and the Sonoma salamander; 

WHEREAS on August 18, 2005, this Court granted in part Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary 

Judgment on Plaintiffs’ remaining claims, and on August 22, 2005 entered final Judgment, vacating the 

downlisting of the Santa Barbara and Sonoma populations and the elimination of their status as distinct 

population segments, reinstating their status as “endangered” distinct population segments, and 

remanding to the Service for any further rulemaking; 

WHEREAS Plaintiffs have submitted a claim for their attorneys’ fees and costs in this matter to 

Defendants;

WHEREAS, the parties agree that it is in the interest of the parties and judicial economy to 

Case 3:04-cv-04324-WHA Document 74 Filed 09/28/05 Page 2 of 4
Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. C-04-4324 WHA Page 2 

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settle Plaintiffs’ claim for attorneys’ fees and costs without further litigation; and

WHEREAS, the parties enter this Stipulation without any admission of fact or law, or waiver of 

any claims or defenses, factual or legal. 

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

FOLLOWS: 

1. Defendants agree to settle all of Plaintiffs’ claims for costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in 

the above-captioned matter, for a total of $230,000.00. A check will be made payable in that 

amount to the Environmental Defense Center, 906 Garden St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 

2. Defendants agree to submit all necessary paperwork to the Department of Treasury’s 

Judgment Fund Office, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g)(4), within ten (10) business days of 

receipt of the signed court order approving this stipulation; 

3. Plaintiffs agree to accept payment of $230,000.00 in full satisfaction of any and all claims 

for attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation in the above-captioned litigation, through and 

including the date of this agreement; 

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

or Plaintiffs’ counsel, including the hourly rate, in any future litigation. Further, this 

stipulation as to attorney’s fees and costs has no precedential value and shall not by used by 

any party as evidence in any other attorneys’ fees litigation. 

Respectfully submitted this 26th day of September, 2005. 

 KELLY A. JOHNSON 

 Acting Assistant Attorney General 

 JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief 

/s/ Bridget Kennedy McNeil

 BRIDGET KENNEDY McNEIL 

 Trial Attorney (SBN 34299 (CO)) 

 U.S. Department of Justice 

 Env. & Natural Resources Division 

 Wildlife & Marine Resources Division 

 Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369 

 Washington, DC 20044-7369 

 Tel: 202-305-0229 

 Fax: 202-305-0275 

Case 3:04-cv-04324-WHA Document 74 Filed 09/28/05 Page 3 of 4
Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. C-04-4324 WHA Page 3 

1 bridget.mcneil@usdoj.gov

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 KEVIN V. RYAN (SBN 118321) 

 United States Attorney 

 JOANN M. SWANSON, Chief, Civil 

 Division (SBN 88143) 

 JAMES A. CODA (SBN 1012669 (WI)) 

 Assistant United States Attorney 

 Northern District of California 

 10th floor, box 36055 

 450 Golden Gate Ave. 

 San Francisco, CA 94102 

 Tel: 415-436-6967 

 Fax: 415-436-6478 

 Attorneys for Defendants 

 /s/ Kassia Siegel 

Brendan Cummings 

Kassia Siegel 

 CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 

P.O. Box 549 

Joshua Tree, CA 92252 

Telephone: (760) 366-2232 

Facsimile: (760) 366-2669 

Linda Krop 

Karen M. Kraus 

 ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE CENTER 

 906 Garden Street 

 Santa Barbara, CA 93101 

 Telephone: (805) 963-1622 

 Facsimile: (805) 962-3152 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, IT IS SO ORDERED 

DATE: ____________________________________ 

The Honorable William H. Alsup 

District Court Judge 

September 28, 2005

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge William Alsup

Case 3:04-cv-04324-WHA Document 74 Filed 09/28/05 Page 4 of 4