Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00882/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00882-13/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 42:7604 Clear Air Act (Emission Standards)

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Stipulation and Order Re Attorneys’ Fees Case No. CIV S04-0882 LKK KJM

1

EDMUND G. BROWN JR.

Attorney General of the State of California

MARY E. HACKENBRACHT

Senior Assistant Attorney General

JOHN DAVIDSON

Supervising Deputy Attorney General 

MICHAEL W. NEVILLE, State Bar No. 96543

Deputy Attorney General

455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 11000

San Francisco, CA 94102-7004

Telephone: (415) 703-5523

Fax: (415) 703-5480

Email: Michael.Neville@doj.ca.gov

Attorneys for State Defendants

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SACRAMENTO DIVISION

EL COMITE PARA EL BIENESTAR DE

EARLIMART, et al.,

Plaintiffs, 

v.

MARY-ANN WARMERDAM, et al.,

Defendants, 

AIR COALITION TEAM,

Intervenor. 

Case No. CIV S 04-0882 LKK KJM

STIPULATION AND ORDER

REGARDING ATTORNEY FEES

The Honorable Lawrence K. Karlton

STIPULATION

Whereas Plaintiffs El Comité para el Bienestar de Earlimart, et al. (“El Comité”) and

Defendants Mary-Ann Warmerdam, et al. (“State Defendants”) wish to settle all claims as to

costs of litigation, including attorney fees, within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. 7604(d), in this

action;

Therefore, El Comité and State Defendants hereby stipulate and agree as follows:

(1) On February 22, 2006, the Court issued an order deciding cross-motions for

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Stipulation and Order Re Attorneys’ Fees Case No. CIV S04-0882 LKK KJM

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summary judgment. On April 26, 2006, the Court issued an order regarding the promulgation

and implementation of regulations. State Defendants, and Intervenor, appealed these orders to

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Those appeals, Nos. 06-16000 and 06-16131, 

are currently pending.

(2) In order to promote judicial economy, and in particular to avoid the cost and

expense to the parties of bringing, and opposing, a motion for attorney fees before this Court, El

Comité and State Defendants stipulate to entry of the Order set forth below.

(3) Subject to the exceptions and conditions set forth below, it is the intention of El

Comité and State Defendants that this Stipulation and Order Regarding Attorney Fees

(“Stipulation and Order”) shall be effective as a full and final accord and satisfaction and a

general mutual release between them of and from any claims for costs of litigation, including

attorney fees, whether now known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, with respect to this

action, except that this Stipulation and Order does not apply to any subsequent claims for costs of

litigation, including attorney fees, that might arise in future proceedings to enforce relief on the

merits in this action; in that event, El Comité reserves the right to claim such costs of litigation,

including attorney fees, and State Defendants reserve the right to oppose such a claim. In

addition, this Stipulation and Order does not apply to any subsequent claims for costs of

litigation, including attorney fees, in the pending appeals of this Court’s judgment or possible

appeals from a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; in that event, El

Comité reserves the right to claim such costs of litigation, including attorney fees, and State

Defendants reserve the right to oppose such a claim.

(4) This Stipulation and Order, and the release contained herein, involve the

settlement of claims which are contested. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as an

admission by El Comité or State Respondents of any fault or wrongdoing and/or liability of any

kind to each other or to any other person or entity with respect to this matter. Nothing herein

shall be construed as creating any claim in favor of any person or entity not a party to this

Stipulation and Order. 

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Stipulation and Order Re Attorneys’ Fees Case No. CIV S04-0882 LKK KJM

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ORDER 

Therefore, IT IS ORDERED AND DECREED that 

(1) An award of $306,200.00 to El Comité in costs of litigation, including attorney

fees, is “appropriate” pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. section 7604(d), subject,

however, to the conditions stated below. 

(2) The parties and the Court recognize that the “appropriateness” of this award may

be altered by the outcome of the pending appeals of this Court’s orders to the U.S. Court of

Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (“Ninth Circuit”), cited above, or by a U.S. Supreme Court

(“Supreme Court”) ruling on an appeal, by any of the parties, of a decision by the Ninth Circuit. 

(3) For the purposes of this Stipulation and Order, an “appeal” of a decision by the

Ninth Circuit to the Supreme Court shall include a petition for a writ of certiorari, a petition for

an extraordinary writ, and/or a certification by the Ninth Circuit to the Supreme Court of a

question or proposition of law on which the Ninth Circuit seeks instruction for the proper

decision of a case from the Supreme Court.

(4) Therefore, State Defendants may challenge the “appropriateness” of this award

after the final resolution of the pending appeals. Final resolution of the pending appeals will

occur on the date that the Ninth Circuit issues a mandate for each pending appeal, pursuant to

Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 41, unless a party to the pending appeals files an appeal of a

decision by the Ninth Circuit with the Supreme Court. If a party to the pending appeals files an

appeal of a decision by the Ninth Circuit with the Supreme Court, final resolution will occur, for

each pending appeal, on the date when the Ninth Circuit issues a mandate for each pending

appeal, or the Supreme Court issues its decision on any appeal of a decision by the Ninth Circuit,

 whichever is later. 

(5) Accordingly, within thirty (30) days of final resolution of these pending appeals,

State Respondents will notify El Comité in writing as to whether they believe that the outcome of

the pending appeals alters the “appropriateness” of this award. In the event that State Defendants

notify El Comité that they do not believe that the outcome of the pending appeals alters the

“appropriateness” of this award, they shall, within ninety (90) days of final resolution of the

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Stipulation and Order Re Attorneys’ Fees Case No. CIV S04-0882 LKK KJM

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pending appeals, pay to El Comité $306,200.00 together with interest running from the date the

Court enters this Stipulation and Order. Interest shall be determined at the rate of interest

specified in 28 U.S.C. § 1961. 

(6) In the event that State Defendants notify El Comité that they believe that the

outcome of the pending appeals does alter the “appropriateness” of this award, State Defendants

will, within ninety (90) days after final resolution, file with this Court a motion challenging the

“appropriateness” of this award. If State Defendants file a motion to challenge the

“appropriateness” of this award, the Court will decide the motion based on the “as appropriate”

standard set forth in the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. section 7604(d), and relevant case law. 

El Comité reserves the right to claim costs of litigation, including attorney fees, incurred in

defending a motion by State Defendants challenging the “appropriateness” of this award, and

State Defendants reserve the right to oppose such a claim.

(7) This Court shall retain jurisdiction over the parties to oversee the implementation

of this Stipulation and Order.

SO STIPULATED.

DATED: May 8, 2007 CENTER ON RACE, POVERTY & THE ENVIRONMENT

 /s/ Brent Newell 

By: Brent Newell

Attorneys for Plaintiffs El Comité para el Bienestar de

Earlimart, et al. 

DATED: May 8, 2007 EDMUND G. BROWN JR., ATTORNEY GENERAL OF

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

 /s/ Michael W. Neville 

By: Michael W. Neville

Deputy Attorney General

Attorneys for State Defendants

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Stipulation and Order Re Attorneys’ Fees Case No. CIV S04-0882 LKK KJM

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SO ORDERED.

DATED: May 8, 2007.

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