Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-01861/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-01861-2/pdf.json

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

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KEVIN V. RYAN, United States Attorney (CA Bar No. 118321)

CHARLES M. O’CONNOR, Assistant United States Attorney (CA Bar No. 56320)

10th Floor Federal Building, Box 36055

450 Golden Gate Avenue 

San Francisco, California 94102

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA LYNNE RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

KRISTEN BYRNES FLOOM, Trial Attorney (DC Bar No. 469615)

United States Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, DC 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0340

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL

DIVERSITY,

et al.

Plaintiffs,

vs.

GALE A. NORTON, in her official

capacity as Secretary of the Interior, and H.

DALE HALL, in his official capacity as

Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Defendants,

and

AMERICAN FOREST & PAPER

ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA

FORESTRY ASSOCIATION, and

SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES,

 Defendant-Intervenors.

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Case No. C-04-1861 (VRW) (BZ)

FEDERAL DEFENDANTS’

NOTICE OF EXTENSION OF

COMPLETION DATE FOR

TWELVE-MONTH FINDING ON

PLAINTIFFS’ UPDATED 

PETITION TO LIST THE

CALIFORNIA SPOTTED OWL

 )

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GRANTED

Judge Vaughn R Walker

Dated: February 22, 2006

Case 3:04-cv-01861-VRW Document 94 Filed 02/22/06 Page 1 of 3
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Fed. Defs. Notice of Extension 

of Completion Date for Twelve-Month Finding - 2 -

FEDERAL DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE OF EXTENSION OF 

COMPLETION DATE FOR TWELVE-MONTH FINDING

Federal Defendants hereby notify the Court that the United States Fish & Wildlife

Service (“FWS”), with the consent of Plaintiffs, will extend by two months its target date for

completion of a twelve-month finding on Plaintiffs’ Updated Petition to list the California

spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) as a threatened or endangered species (September 1,

2004) (“Updated Petition”). 

In response to the Court’s March 8, 2005, Amended Order to Show Cause (Dkt. No. 60),

FWS evaluated its ability to complete its review of Plaintiffs’ Updated Petition. FWS

determined that it could complete a substantial information (or “90-day”) finding for the

Updated Petition by June 13, 2005. See Second Declaration of Elizabeth H. Stevens (Dkt. No.

62, Attachment 1) (“Second Stevens Decl.”) ¶ 4. FWS further determined that, if it found that

the petition did present substantial information that listing is warranted (“positive 90-day

finding”), see 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A), it could then complete a twelve-month finding for the

Updated Petition, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(B), by March 14, 2006. See Second

Stevens Decl. at ¶ 4. 

On June 21, 2005, FWS issued a positive 90-day finding and initiated a status review of

the species. 70 Fed. Reg. 35607 (June 21, 2005). In the course of its status review, FWS has

become aware of a recent analysis of California spotted owl demography and population status. 

A draft report containing the results of the analysis is expected to be available in February 2006. 

FWS has determined that the information from this report should be considered as part of the

status review, and thus proposes to extend the status review by two months, issuing the twelvemonth finding on May 15, 2006. Plaintiffs and Defendant-Intervenors have stated that they do

not oppose this extension of the target date for completion of the status review.

Case 3:04-cv-01861-VRW Document 94 Filed 02/22/06 Page 2 of 3
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Fed. Defs. Notice of Extension 

of Completion Date for Twelve-Month Finding - 3 -

Dated: February 15, 2006 Respectfully submitted,

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA LYNNE RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

/s/ Kristen Byrnes Floom

KRISTEN BYRNES FLOOM, Trial Attorney

DC Bar No. 469615

United States Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, DC 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0340

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Kristen.Floom@usdoj.gov

Of Counsel:

Kerry A. O’Hara

U.S. Department of the Interior

Office of the Solicitor

Pacific Southwest Regional Office

2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1712

Sacramento, CA 95825-1890

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

Case 3:04-cv-01861-VRW Document 94 Filed 02/22/06 Page 3 of 3