Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-02315/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-02315-20/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 05:551 Administrative Procedure Act

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Case No. 2:13-cv-02315-TLN-AC 

STIPULATION AND ORDER

26551862

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NOSSAMAN LLP

PAUL S. WEILAND (CA 237058)

pweiland@nossaman.com

BENJAMIN Z. RUBIN (CA 249630)

brubin@nossaman.com

ASHLEY J. REMILLARD (CA 252374)

aremillard@nossaman.com

18101 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 1800

Irvine, CA 92612-0177

Telephone: (949) 833-7800

Facsimile: (949) 833-7878

Attorneys for Plaintiff Dennis D. Murphy

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DENNIS D. MURPHY, PH.D.

Plaintiff,

vs.

UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE; 

THOMAS TIDWELL, in his official capacity as 

Chief of THE UNITED STATES FOREST 

SERVICE; NANCY J. GIBSON, in her official 

capacity as Forester of THE UNITED STATES 

FOREST SERVICE,

Defendants.

Case No: 2:13-cv-02315-TLN-AC

STIPULATION AND ORDER RE 

DISMISSAL

Date Action Filed: Nov. 16, 2013

Case 2:13-cv-02315-TLN-DB Document 102 Filed 10/11/16 Page 1 of 5
1 Case No. 2:13-cv-02315-TLN-AC 

STIPULATION AND ORDER

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Plaintiff filed a complaint on November 6, 2013, which was subsequently amended on 

two occasions and presently alleges Defendants violated the National Environmental Policy Act 

(“NEPA”), 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq., and the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. 

§ 1531 et seq., during the planning and implementation of the Upper Echo Lake Hazardous 

Fuels Reduction Project. The parties having met and conferred hereby agree as follows:

1) Defendants will not take any further action to fund, authorize, or carry out the 

Upper Echo Lake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, which was previously approved on 

November 15, 2012, and withdrawn on July 20, 2015.

2) Although Defendants have no present plan or intention to burn the downed 

wood, slash, and vegetation previously cut and piled by the agency as part of Phase I of the 

Upper Echo Lake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, Defendants retain, at their discretion and 

consistent with all applicable legal requirements (including, where applicable, NEPA and the 

ESA), the ability to take appropriate steps to remediate such materials. In the event that the 

Forest Service proposes to burn any vegetation previously cut and piled by the agency as part of 

Phase I of the Upper Echo Lake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project before October 1, 2021, the 

agency will provide written notice to Plaintiff through counsel of such proposal and include in a 

map identifying with sufficient specificity the locations of each of the piles it intends to or may 

burn as part of such remediation, and an explanation of the reasons for its proposed action. The 

written notice will be provided at least 60 days in advance of any action.

3) Defendants agree to pay, and Plaintiff agrees to accept, $150,000 in full and 

complete satisfaction of any and all claims pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act, 5 

U.S.C. § 2412 et seq. and/or any other statute, for all attorney fees and costs incurred by 

Plaintiff in the above captioned lawsuit. Defendants’ payment will be made by electronic funds 

transfer to the appropriate trust account for Nossaman LLP. Within ten (10) days of entry of 

this Stipulation, Plaintiff will provide Defendants with the following information necessary for 

Defendants to process the payment by electronic funds transfer: the payee’s name, the payee’s 

address, the payee’s bank account number, the account type, the name of the payee’s bank, the 

bank routing transit number, and the payee’s tax identification number. Defendants agree to 

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STIPULATION AND ORDER

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submit all necessary paperwork to the appropriate office within thirty (30) days of receipt of the 

signed Court order approving this Stipulation, or within thirty (30) days of receiving Plaintiff’s 

account information and other information needed to facilitate the payment, whichever is later.

4) Plaintiff’s attorneys are receiving funds in trust for Plaintiff, and Plaintiff agrees 

to this procedure. Plaintiff and its attorneys agree to hold harmless Defendants in any litigation, 

further suit, or claim arising from the payment of the agreed upon $150,000.00 settlement 

amount pursuant to Paragraph 3, other than for an allegation of Defendants’ breach of this 

Stipulation. 

5) Defendants will not take any retaliatory action against Plaintiff due to Plaintiff’s 

pursuit of this action and any other activities with respect to the Upper Echo Lake Hazardous 

Fuels Reduction Project.

6) Plaintiff and Defendants stipulate to dismissal of this Action with prejudice 

pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(2). This agreement constitutes the full and complete 

satisfaction of any and all claims arising from (a) the NEPA and ESA causes of action set forth 

in the complaint filed in this lawsuit; (b) any and all claims for attorneys’ fees and costs that 

Plaintiff may seek to pursue in this matter relating to the litigation or settlement; and (c) any 

litigation or administrative proceeding that Plaintiff has brought, could bring, or could have 

brought regarding the Upper Echo Lake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, including, but not 

limited to, any litigation or administrative proceeding under the Information Quality Act, 

Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.

7) By entering into this agreement, Plaintiff does not waive any right to challenge 

future actions by the Forest Service. Nothing in this agreement is intended to provide Plaintiff 

with any cause of action that would not otherwise exist, or excuse Plaintiff from any applicable 

procedural requirements for such a challenge to a future action, including but not limited to 

exhaustion of administrative remedies.

8) No representations have been made or intended as to the federal or state tax 

consequences of the payment under this agreement.

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STIPULATION AND ORDER

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9) This instrument does not constitute an admission of liability or fault on the part of 

the Defendants, or any federal agencies, agents, servants or employees, in reference to the events 

alleged in the Complaint or otherwise. It is entered into for the purpose of compromising 

disputed claims and avoiding the expenses, distractions and uncertainties of litigation.

10) The Plaintiff acknowledges that it releases and forever waives any right to appeal or 

election to appeal of any order, decision, judgment, or entry of judgment arising from the Complaint. 

Defendants acknowledge that they release and forever waive any right to appeal or election to appeal 

of any order, decision, judgment, or entry of judgment arising from the Complaint. 

11) The Parties agree that the Court may retain jurisdiction over this matter solely to 

enforce the terms of this Settlement Agreement. See Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co., 511 

U.S. 375 (1994). Any dispute over compliance with any provision of this Settlement Agreement 

shall proceed as set forth in Paragraph 12. 

12) In the event that any party believes another party to be in breach of this 

agreement, such party must give notice to the other party at the earliest possible date. The other 

party shall have 21 days to respond to the claim of breach. If such a response is provided, the 

parties shall have 60 days to meet and confer regarding the alleged breach, and any potential 

remedy. Notice from Plaintiff should be provided to the Forest Supervisor and to undersigned 

counsel for Defendants. The Parties agree that neither will seek contempt of court as a remedy 

for any violation of this Settlement Agreement, and the Parties therefore knowingly waive any 

right that they might have to seek an order of contempt for any such violation. No party shall 

seek action by this or any other court regarding the alleged breach until either (a) the expiration 

of the meet and confer period, or (b) both parties agree, in writing, that they have reached an 

impasse. Nothing in this section is intended to create a cause of action that would not otherwise 

exist, or to invest this Court with authority that it would not otherwise have.

13) No provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted as, or constitutes, a 

commitment or requirement that Defendants are obligated to spend funds in violation of the 

Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 1341, or any other law or regulation.

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STIPULATION AND ORDER

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14) The Agreement contains all of the agreement between Plaintiff and Defendants, 

and is intended to be the final and sole agreement between them. Plaintiff and Defendants 

agree that any prior or contemporaneous representations or understanding not explicitly 

contained in this written Agreement, whether written or oral, are of no further legal or equitable 

force or effect. 

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 the Agreement and do hereby agree to the terms herein.

Dated: October 10, 2016 NOSSAMAN LLP

PAUL S. WEILAND

BENJAMIN Z. RUBIN 

ASHLEY J. REMILLARD

By: /s/ Paul S. Weiland

Attorneys for Plaintiff Dennis D. Murphy

Dated: October 10, 2016 PHILIP A. TALBERT

Acting United States Attorney

By: /s/ Gregory T. Broderick (authorized 10/6/2016)

Attorneys for Defendants

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 10, 2016

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