Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-01908/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-01908-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 05:702 Administrative Procedure Act

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ROBERT S. PERLMUTTER (SBN 183333)

SHERIDAN J. PAUKER (SBN 234817)

SHUTE MIHALY & WEINBERGER LLP

396 Hayes Street

San Francisco, California 94102

Telephone: (415) 552-7272

Facsimile: (415) 5525816

Email: perlmutter@smwlaw.com

Email: pauker@smwlaw.com

Attorneys for Plaintiff

BAYKEEPER and its Deltakeeper Chapter

MELISSA C. LIN PERRELLA (SBN 205019)

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL 

1314 Second Street 

Santa Monica, CA 90401 

Tel: (310) 434-2300 

Fax: (310) 434-2399 

Email: mlinperrella@nrdc.org

Attorneys for Plaintiff

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BAYKEEPER and its Deltakeeper Chapter,

and NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE

COUNCIL,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS; LT.

GEN. CARL A. STROCK, in his official

capacity, Chief of Engineers and Commanding

General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; COL.

RONALD N. LIGHT, in his official capacity,

District Engineer, Sacramento District, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers; KEVIN J.

ROUKEY, in his official capacity as Chief,

Central California/Nevada Section, U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers; PORT OF STOCKTON;

STOCKTON PORT DISTRICT,

Defendants.

CASE NO. 2:06-CV-01908-FCD-GGH

ORDER

Status Conf: January 26, 2007

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Courtroom: 2

Judge: Hon. Frank C. Damrell, Jr.

Action Filed: August 24, 2006

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Case 2:06-cv-01908-FCD-GGH Document 58 Filed 01/17/07 Page 1 of 4
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Pursuant to the Court’s November 30, 2006 order, the parties submit this Second

Joint Status Report and Proposed Order:

1. Nature and Status of Case

In August 2003, the Port of Stockton applied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

for a dredging permit to dredge seven docks at Rough and Ready Island at the Port of

Stockton. Three years later, on July 27, 2006, the Port of Stockton withdrew its permit

application for this seven-dock project, and applied for a permit for a modified two-dock

project that included only Docks 14 and 15. The Corps of Engineers prepared an

Environmental Assessment (EA) and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI),

and issued to the Port a dredging permit for the two-dock project. Plaintiffs filed a

Complaint alleging that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) required the

preparation of an EIS rather than an EA; and requesting injunctive relief. On September

20, 2006, the Court issued its Memorandum and Order granting Plaintiffs’ motion for a

preliminary injunction. The Court’s preliminary injunction enjoined “further dredging

adjacent to Docks 14 and 15" and stayed the Corps’ permit pending final resolution of the

case on the merits. Memorandum and Order at 36.

2. Status of Service: All defendants have been served.

3. Potential Resolution of Case

As indicated in the First Joint Status Report, the parties are attempting to resolve

or narrow the issues in this case through negotiation and mediation. On October 26,

2006, the parties met with a JAMS mediator who is familiar with the NEPA issues

relating to the original seven-dock project. After some initial progress, the parties’ talks

stalled. On December 12, 2006, however, the California Third District Court of Appeal

issued an unpublished decision in the related state law case between plaintiffs and the

Port of Stockton defendants, Deltakeeper v. Port of Stockton, No. C050636. The Court of

Appeal reversed the trial court’s denial of plaintiffs’ motion to augment the administrative

record and directed the lower court to reconsider the merits of the case with the properly

augmented record. Shortly thereafter, the parties reinitiated settlement discussions and

set a two-day mediation session for January 22 and 23, 2007, the earliest dates available

Case 2:06-cv-01908-FCD-GGH Document 58 Filed 01/17/07 Page 2 of 4
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to all parties and the mediator. 

By the end of that mediation session, the parties anticipate that they will be

in a position to determine whether this case is likely to settle and the likely timing of any

such settlement. Accordingly, the parties propose to report to the Court on the status of

settlement discussions at the January 26, 2007 status conference. The parties further

propose that a subsequent status conference be set for some time in mid-March. 

Additionally, counsel for plaintiff Natural Resources Defense Council,

Melissa Lin Perrella, requests permission to attend the January 26, 2007 status conference

by telephone. Melissa Lin Perrella works in Santa Monica, California.

Dated: January 17, 2007 SHUTE, MIHALY & WEINBERGER LLP

By: /s/ Robert S. Perlmutter 

ROBERT S. PERLMUTTER

Attorneys for Plaintiff

BAYKEEPER and its Deltakeeper Chapter 

Dated: January 16, 2007 NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

By: s/ Melissa C. Lin Perrella (as authorized on 01/16/07)

MELISSA C. LIN PERRELLA

Attorneys for Plaintiff

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

Dated: January 16, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

By: /s/John F. Gisla (as authorized on 01/16/07) JOHN F. GISLA

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for the UNITED STATES

Dated: January 16, 2007 BINGHAM McCUTHCHEN LLP

By: /s/ Barbara J. Schussman (as authorized on 01/16/07) 

BARBARA J. SCHUSSMAN

Attorneys for Defendants

PORT OF STOCKTON and STOCKTON PORT

DISTRICTS

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ORDER

Pursuant to the foregoing January 16, 2007, Joint Status Report, the Court

VACATES the status conference set for January 26, 2007 and sets a further status

conference for March 30, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom #2. The parties shall file a

Joint Status Report by March 20, 2007. 

DATED: January 17, 2007

Case 2:06-cv-01908-FCD-GGH Document 58 Filed 01/17/07 Page 4 of 4