Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00023/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00023-1/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 and [Prop.] Order Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

Lisa T. Belenky (CA Bar No. 203225) 

Adam F. Keats (CA Bar No. 191157) 

Center for Biological Diversity

1095 Market St., Suite 511

San Francisco, CA 94103

Telephone: (415) 436-9682 x307

Facsimile: (415) 436-9683

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

Environment & Natural Resources Division

JEAN WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

COURTNEY TAYLOR, Trial Attorney 

U.S. Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 353-7548

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Defendants

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, et al. ) No. 2:06-CV-00023-LKK-GGH

)

Plaintiffs, )

) STIPULATED SETTLEMENT 

 ) AGREEMENT AND ORDER

vs. )

)

P. LYNN SCARLETT, et al., )

)

Defendants. )

 )

Plaintiffs, the Center for Biological Diversity (the “Center”), Public Employees for

Environmental Responsibility (“PEER”), and Nevada Outdoor Recreation Association

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 1 of 7
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Prop.] Order - 2 - Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

(“NORA”), and Defendants, P. Lynn Scarlett, Acting Secretary of the Interior (“Secretary”), and

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by and through their undersigned counsel, state as follows:

WHEREAS, on April 23, 2004, the Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) received a

petition to list the Sand Mountain blue butterfly as an endangered or threatened species, pursuant

to the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq. (“ESA”); 

WHEREAS, on January 5, 2006, the plaintiffs filed a complaint for declaratory and

injunctive relief, challenging the Secretary’s failure to issue “90-day findings” in response to the

petitions as required by 16 U.S.C. §§ 1533(b)(3)(A) & (B); 

WHEREAS, the parties, through their authorized representatives, and without any

admission or final adjudication of the issues of fact or law with respect to the plaintiffs’ claims,

have reached a settlement that they consider to be a just, fair, adequate, and equitable resolution

of the disputes set forth in plaintiffs’ complaint;

WHEREAS, the parties agree that settlement of this action in this manner is in the public

interest and is an appropriate way to resolve the dispute between them;

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

FOLLOWS:

1. On or before July 28, 2006, the Service shall submit to the Federal Register a finding

as to whether the April 2004 petition presents substantial information indicating that the

petitioned action may be warranted pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(A). If the Service finds

that the petition has presented substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the

petitioned action may be warranted, the Service shall submit a 12-month finding as to whether

the petitioned action is warranted pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533(b)(3)(B) to the Federal Register

by April 26, 2007.

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 2 of 7
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Prop.] Order - 3 - Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

2. Notwithstanding the dismissal of this action, the parties hereby stipulate and

respectfully request that the Court retain jurisdiction to oversee compliance with the terms of this

Agreement and to resolve any motions to modify such terms. See Kokkonen v. Guardian Life

Ins. Co. of Am., 511 U.S. 375 (1994).

3. Any party may seek to modify the deadline for any actions specified in Paragraph 1 for

good cause shown. In that event, or in the event that any party believes that another party has

failed to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement, the parties shall use the dispute

resolution procedures specified in Paragraph 4. 

4. The Order entering this Settlement Agreement (“Agreement”) may be modified by the

Court upon good cause shown by written stipulation between the parties, filed with and approved

by the Court, or upon written motion filed by one of the parties and granted by the Court. In the

event that any party seeks to modify the terms of this Agreement, including the deadline for the

actions specified in Paragraph 1, or in the event of a dispute arising out of or relating to this

Agreement, or in the event that any party believes that another party has failed to comply with

any term or condition of this Agreement, the party seeking the modification, raising the dispute

or seeking enforcement, shall provide all other parties with written notice of the claim. The

parties agree that they will meet and confer (in-person not required) at the earliest possible time

in a good-faith effort to resolve the claim before bringing any matter to the Court. If the parties

are unable to resolve the claim within 30 days after the notice, any party may bring the claim to

the Court.

5. No party shall use this Agreement or the terms herein as evidence of what does or does

not constitute a reasonable time line for issuing a 90-day or 12-month finding under 16 U.S.C. §

1533 in any other proceeding regarding the Service’s implementation of the ESA.

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 3 of 7
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Prop.] Order - 4 - Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

6. Defendants agree that Plaintiffs are the “prevailing party” in this action, and agree to

pay Plaintiffs reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, pursuant to Section 11(g) of the ESA, 16

U.S.C. § 1540 (g). Therefore, Defendants agree to settle all of Plaintiffs’ claims for costs and

attorneys’ fees in the above-captioned litigation for a total of $1685.00. A check will be made

payable in that amount to Plaintiffs’ undersigned counsel, Center for Biological Diversity;

7. 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;

8. Plaintiffs agree to accept payment of $1685.00 in full satisfaction of any and all

claims for attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation to which Plaintiffs are entitled in the abovecaptioned litigation, through and including the date of this agreement; 

9. Plaintiffs agree that receipt of this payment from Defendants shall operate as a release

of Plaintiffs’ claims for attorneys’ fees and costs in this matter, through and including the date of

this agreement;

10. The parties agree that Plaintiffs reserve the right to seek additional fees and costs

incurred subsequent to this agreement arising from a need to enforce or defend against efforts to

modify the underlying schedule outlined in Paragraph 1, or for any other unforseen continuation

of this action;

11. 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, or continuation

of the present action. Further, this stipulation as to attorneys’ fees and costs has no precedential

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

12. Subject to the qualifications in Paragraph 13, no provision of this Agreement shall be

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 4 of 7
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Prop.] Order - 5 - Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

interpreted as, or constitute, a commitment or requirement that Defendants take action in

contravention of the Endangered Species Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, or any other law

or regulation, either substantive or procedural. Nothing in this Settlement Agreement shall be

construed to limit or modify the discretion accorded to the Service by the ESA, the APA, or

general principles of administrative law with respect to the procedures to be followed in making

any determination required herein, or as to the substance of any final determination. 

13. Defendants assert that no provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted as, or

constitute, a commitment or requirement that Defendants are obligated to spend funds in

violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 1341. In response, Plaintiffs assert that this

Agreement does not create a conflict with the Anti-Deficiency Act because the duty to make

petition findings is required in non-discretionary terms by the ESA and because the AntiDeficiency Act would not excuse compliance with a pre-existing court-approved Agreement. 

Plaintiffs reserve the right to assert these and other arguments if the Service fails to comply with

the terms of this Agreement for reasons of insufficient appropriations. The Service reserves all

legal and equitable defense to such a claim. 

14. The parties agree that this Settlement Agreement (“Agreement”) was negotiated in

good faith and it constitutes a settlement of claims that were vigorously contested, denied, and

disputed by the parties. By entering into this Agreement the parties do not waive any claim or

defense.

15. The undersigned representatives of each party certify that they are fully authorized by

the party or parties they represent to agree to the Court’s entry of the terms and conditions of this

Agreement and do hereby agree to the terms herein.

16. The terms of this Agreement shall become effective upon entry of an order by the

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 5 of 7
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Prop.] Order - 6 - Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

Court ratifying the Agreement.

17. Upon approval of this Agreement by the Court, all counts of Plaintiffs’ Complaint

shall be dismissed with prejudice, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1).

Dated: April 13, 2006

Respectfully submitted,

S/ Lisa T. Belenky*

 

LISA T. BELENKY

Center for Biological Diversity

1095 Market St., Suite 511

San Francisco, CA 94103

Telephone: (415) 436-9682 x307

Facsimile: (415) 436-9683

Attorney for Plaintiffs

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Section Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Section Chief

S/ Courtney Taylor

_____________________________________

COURTNEY TAYLOR, Trial Attorney

U.S. Department of Justice

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Environment & Natural Resources Division

U.S. Department of Justice

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 353-7548

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

*Plaintiffs’ attorney authorized signing on her

behalf on April 13, 2006

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 6 of 7
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement and [Prop.] Order - 7 - Case No.2:06-CV-00023LKK-GGH

ORDER

The terms and conditions of this Stipulated Settlement Agreement are hereby adopted as

an enforceable ORDER of this Court, and this matter is hereby DISMISSED with prejudice. 

Dated: April 19, 2006.

/s/Lawrence K. Karlton 

Lawrence K. Karlton

Senior Judge

United States District Court

Case 2:06-cv-00023-LKK -GGH Document 16 Filed 04/20/06 Page 7 of 7