Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06461/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06461-8/pdf.json

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

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MATTHEW J. MCKEOWN, Acting Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Environment and Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

JAMES A. MAYSONETT, Trial Attorney (D.C. Bar # 463856)

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0216

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER

AUTHORITY et al.

Plaintiffs,

v.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

et al.,

Defendants,

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE

COUNCIL, et al.,

Defendant-Intervenors.

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Civ. No. F-02-6461-OWW-DLB

Joint Stipulation Settling Plaintiffs’

Claims for Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

and Order

Plaintiffs California Farm Bureau Federation and Ted Sheely (the “Farm Bureau

Plaintiffs”) and Federal Defendants United States Department of the Interior et al. (the “Federal

Defendants”), by and through their undersigned counsel, hereby say as follows:

WHEREAS, on November 22, 2002, the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs filed a complaint

initiating the present action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia,

California Farm Bureau Federation v. Badgley, No. 1:02-cv-02328-RCL (D.D.C.), Docket No.

1;

Case 1:02-cv-06461-OWW -DLB Document 101 Filed 03/28/07 Page 1 of 4
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WHEREAS, the First Claim in the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs’ complaint alleged that the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service (the “Service”) had failed to conduct a five-year review

of the listing status of the delta smelt, a fish, as required by Section 4(c)(2) of the Endangered

Species Act (“ESA”);

WHEREAS, the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs’ first claim was resolved on June 13, 2003, when

the United States District Court for the District of Columbia entered a stipulated settlement

agreement (the “Agreement”) submitted by the parties, California Farm Bureau Federation, No.

1:02-cv-02328-RCL, Docket No. 22;

WHEREAS, under ¶ 7 of that Agreement, the Federal Defendants agreed to pay the

“reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs attributable” to the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs’ first claim for

relief;

WHEREAS, the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs have presented the Federal Defendants with a

claim for attorneys’ fees and costs attributable to their first claim for relief in this matter;

WHEREAS, the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs moved the United States District Court for the

District of Columbia for attorneys’ fees and costs on October 12, 2004, Docket No. 35, but that

motion was dismissed without prejudice on June 30, 2005, Docket No. 59, when this case was

transferred to the present Court;

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

to settle this claim for attorneys’ fees and costs without protracted 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, the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs and the Federal Defendants hereby

Stipulate and Agree as follows:

1. The Federal Defendants agree to settle the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs’ claim for the

costs and attorneys’ fees attributable to their first claim for relief in this matter for a total of

$70,000. This amount will be paid to the California Farm Bureau Federation by wire transfer.

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2. The Federal Defendants agree to submit all necessary paperwork to the

Department of the 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. The Farm Bureau Plaintiffs agree to accept payment of $70,000 in full satisfaction

of any and all claims for attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation attributable to their first claim for

relief in this matter, including any and all attorneys’ fees and costs incurred compiling,

presenting, and negotiating their claim for attorneys’ fees and costs.

4. The Farm Bureau Plaintiffs agree that receipt of this payment from the Federal

Defendants shall operate as a release of the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs’ claims for all attorneys’ fees

and costs attributable to their first claim for relief in this matter, and also any and all attorneys’

fees and costs incurred compiling, presenting, and negotiating their claim for attorneys’ fees and

costs.

5. By this Agreement, the Federal Defendants do not waive any right to contest any

further fees or costs claimed by the Farm Bureau Plaintiffs or their counsel, including the hourly

rate, in the present litigation or any future litigation. Further, this stipulation has no precedential

value and shall not be used as evidence in any other attorneys’ fees litigation.

Respectfully submitted,

Dated: March 23, 2007

/s/ Brenda Washington Davis

__________________________________

BRENDA WASHINGTON DAVIS, State Bar No. 133087

RONDA AZEVEDO LUCAS, State Bar No. 222244

2300 Rievr Plaza Drive

Sacramento, California 95833

Telephone: (916) 561-5665

Facsimile: (916) 561-5691

ALAN N. BICK, State Bar No. 151452

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

4 Park Plaza, Suite 1400

Irvine, CA 92614-8557

Telephone: (949) 451-3800

Facsimile: (949) 451-4220

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CHRISTOPHER H. BUCKLEY, JR.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 900

Washington, D.C. 20036

Telephone: (202) 887-3621

Facsimile: (202) 530-9535

Attorneys for Plaintiffs California Farm Bureau Federation et al.

MATTHEW J. MCKEOWN, Acting Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Environment and Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

/s/ James A. Maysonett

__________________________________

JAMES A. MAYSONETT, Trial Attorney

D.C. Bar # 463856

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0216

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

Pursuant to the foregoing stipulation, it is so ORDERED.

3/23/07 /s/ Oliver W. Wanger

________________ _____________________________________

Dated Hon. Oliver W. Wanger

United States District Judge

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