Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_02-cv-03805/USCOURTS-cand-3_02-cv-03805-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL 

ROBIN S. STAFFORD 

SARAH B. SCHINDLER 

MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP 

425 Market Street 

San Francisco, California 94105 

(415) 268-6674 (phone) 

(415) 268-7522 (fax) 

JOEL R. REYNOLDS 

ANDREW E. WETZLER 

CARA A. HOROWITZ 

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, INC. 

1314 Second Street 

Santa Monica, California 90401 

(310) 434-2300 (phone) 

(310) 434-2399 (fax) 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

MATTHEW J. MCKEOWN 

Acting Assistant Attorney General 

Environment and Natural Resources Division 

JEAN E. WILLIAMS 

Chief, Wildlife and Marine Resources Section 

KRISTEN L. GUSTAFSON (DC Bar 460443) 

Senior Trial Attorney, Wildlife and Marine Resources Section 

United States Department of Justice 

Environment and Natural Resources Division 

P.O. Box 7369, Washington, D.C. 20044-7369 

(202) 305-0211 (phone) 

(202) 305-0275 (fax) 

Attorneys for Defendants 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION 

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, 

INC.; THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE 

UNITED STATES; CETACEAN SOCIETY 

INTERNATIONAL; LEAGUE FOR COASTAL 

PROTECTION; OCEAN FUTURES SOCIETY; 

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU,

 Plaintiffs, 

 v. 

Civil Action No. CV 02-3805 EDL

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] 

ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT 

OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND 

EXPENSES 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 1 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL 

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CARLOS M. GUTIERREZ, SECRETARY OF 

THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

COMMERCE; NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES 

SERVICE; WILLIAM HOGARTH, ASSISTANT 

ADMINISTRATOR FOR FISHERIES OF THE 

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 

ADMINISTRATION; VICE ADMIRAL CONRAD 

C. LAUTENBACHER, JR., ADMINISTRATOR 

OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND 

ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION; UNITED 

STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY; 

DONALD C. WINTER, SECRETARY OF THE 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE 

NAVY; ADMIRAL MICHAEL MULLEN, CHIEF 

OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, 

 Defendants. 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 2 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL 

3

Plaintiffs, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., the Humane Society of the United 

States, Cetacean Society International, League for Coastal Protection, Ocean Futures Society, and 

Jean-Michel Cousteau, and Defendants, Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of the United States 

Department of Commerce; the National Marine Fisheries Service; William Hogarth, Assistant 

Administrator for Fisheries of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Vice 

Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Jr., Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration; the United States Department of the Navy; Donald C. Winter, Secretary of 

the United States Department of the Navy; and Admiral Michael Mullen, Chief of Naval 

Operations, hereby stipulate and agree as follows: 

RECITALS

 WHEREAS, on August 7, 2002, Plaintiffs filed this action alleging violations of the 

Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531-1544, the National Environmental Policy 

Act (“NEPA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4370f, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (“MMPA”), 16 

U.S.C. 1371-1421h, and requesting injunctive relief to enjoin Defendants’ use of low-frequency 

active (“LFA”) sonar during peacetime training exercises; 

 WHEREAS, on October 31, 2002, the District Court for the Northern District of California 

entered a Preliminary Injunction restricting, but not prohibiting, the use of LFA sonar and ordered 

the parties to meet and confer regarding the terms of a tailored preliminary injunction; 

 WHEREAS, the District Court approved and ordered the parties’ Stipulation Regarding 

Preliminary Injunction on November 15, 2002; 

 WHEREAS, on August 26, 2003, the District Court granted in part and denied in part both 

Plaintiffs’ and Defendants’ Motions for Summary Judgment and ordered the parties to meet and 

confer regarding the terms of a tailored permanent injunction; 

 WHEREAS, the District Court approved and ordered the parties’ Stipulation Regarding 

Permanent Injunction on October 14, 2003, and entered Judgment under Rule 58 on October 27, 

2003; 

 WHEREAS, on December 19, 2003, Defendants filed their Notice appealing the District 

Court’s decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 3 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL

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 WHEREAS, on July 24, 2006, the Ninth Circuit dismissed Defendants-Appellants’ appeal 

for lack of standing, and Defendants-Appellants did not request Ninth Circuit rehearing or seek 

further review of the decision; 

WHEREAS, on November 21, 2006, Plaintiffs applied for attorneys’ fees, costs, and 

expenses under the Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”) by filing their Motion for Fees and Costs 

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2412; 

WHEREAS, on January 17, 2007, the Ninth Circuit issued an Order granting Plaintiffs’ 

motion to transfer consideration of fees on appeal to this Court; 

WHEREAS, on January 30, 2007, Plaintiffs supplemented their initial Motion for Fees and 

Costs Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2412 with additional evidence and a supplemental memorandum of 

support; 

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

to settle Plaintiffs’ application for attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses under EAJA without 

protracted litigation; and 

 WHEREAS, the parties enter this Stipulation Regarding Settlement of Attorneys’ Fees, 

Costs, and Expenses (“Stipulation”) without any admission of fact or law, or waiver of any claims 

or defenses, factual or legal. 

THEREFORE THE PARTIES HEREBY STIPULATE AS FOLLOWS: 

 1. Defendants agree to pay and Plaintiffs agree to accept $1,700,000.00 in full 

settlement of Plaintiffs’ claims for attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses associated with the abovecaptioned litigation, including all claims for attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses incurred before the 

District Court, before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and in pursuit of their claims for such 

fees, costs, and expenses. 

 2. Defendants will make payment of the $1,700,000.00 in two installments of 

$1,275,000.00 and $425,000.00. 

 3. Payment of the first installment of $1,275,000.00 will be due no later than 60 days 

after the Court’s entry of the Stipulation and Order. 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 4 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL

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4. Payment of the second installment of $425,000.00 will be due in the 2008 United 

States Government Fiscal Year (i.e. October 1-September 30) (“Fiscal Year”) by November 30, 

2007. Defendants may, at their sole discretion, elect to pay the second installment during the 2007 

Fiscal Year. 

 5. All payments will be made by electronic funds transfer to Morrison & Foerster, LLP, 

425 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94105. 

6. Plaintiffs agree to provide all information necessary for Defendants to process the 

disbursements (including the plaintiffs’ names, the payees’ names, the payees’ address, the payees’ 

bank account number, the account type, the bank routing transit number (“RTN”), the payee’s tax 

identification number, and a complete and accurate NOAA Vendor Profile Form for electronic funds 

transfers) no later than 30 days after the Court’s entry of the Stipulation and Order. 

 7. Defendants agree to submit all necessary paperwork to ensure that payment is made 

in the time periods set forth in paragraphs 3 and 4 above. 

 8. By this Stipulation, Defendants do not waive any right to contest any aspect of 

attorneys’ fees, costs, or expenses, including hourly rates, claimed by Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs’ counsel 

in future litigation. This Stipulation has no precedential value and shall not be used as evidence in 

any other attorneys’ fees litigation. 

 9. No provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted as or constitute a commitment or 

requirement that Defendants obligate or pay funds in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. 

§ 1341, or any other law or regulation. 

 10. Because this Stipulation resolves all of Plaintiffs’ claims to fees, costs, and expenses 

in the above-captioned matter (“Fee Claims”), Plaintiffs hereby withdraw their Motion for Fees and 

Costs Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2412, and all supplementation thereto and release Defendants from the 

Fee Claims. 

 11. This Stipulation contains the entire agreement between the parties to this Stipulation, 

and all previous understandings, agreements, and communications prior to the date hereof, whether 

express or implied, oral or written, relating to the subject matter of this Stipulation, are fully and 

completely extinguished and superseded by this Stipulation. This Stipulation may be modified upon 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 5 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL

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mutual written consent of the parties and the Court’s approval of a joint stipulation to modify this 

Stipulation. 

 12. The undersigned representatives of the Plaintiffs and Defendants certify that they are 

fully authorized by the party or parties whom they represent to enter into the terms and conditions of 

this Stipulation and to legally bind them to it. 

 13. The provisions of this Stipulation shall apply to and be binding upon each of the 

parties including, but not limited to, their officers, directors, servants, employees, successors, and 

assigns. 

 14. The parties further ask that the Court vacate the hearing on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Fees 

and Costs, which is currently set for June 6, 2007, at 9:00 AM. 

SO STIPULATED. 

Respectfully submitted this 4th day of May, 2007. 

Dated: May 4, 2007 

 MATTHEW J. MCKEOWN 

Acting Assistant Attorney General 

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

DIVISION 

JEAN WILLIAMS 

Chief, Wildlife and Marine Resources Section 

KRISTEN L. GUSTAFSON, Senior Trial Attorney 

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

DIVISION 

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369 

Washington, D.C. 20530 

(202) 305-0211 (phone) 

(202) 305-0275 (fax) 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 6 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL

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 By: /s/ Kristen L. Gustafson 

 Kristen L. Gustafson 

Attorneys for Defendants 

Dated: May 4, 2007 

ROBIN S. STAFFORD 

 SARAH B. SCHINDLER 

MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP 

425 Market Street 

San Francisco, California 94105 

(415) 268-6674 (phone) 

(415) 268-7522 (fax) 

By: /s/ Robin S. Stafford 

Robin S. Stafford 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

Dated: May 4, 2007 

JOEL R. REYNOLDS 

ANDREW E. WETZLER 

CARA A. HOROWITZ 

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, 

INC. 1314 Second Street 

Santa Monica, California 90401 

(310) 434-2300 (phone) 

(310) 434-2399 (fax) 

By: /s/ Joel R. Reynolds 

Joel R. Reynolds 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

SIGNATURE ATTESTATION

I, Kristen Gustafson, am the ECF User whose ID and password are being used to file this 

Stipulation. In compliance with General Order 45, X.B., I hereby attest that Robin Stafford and 

Joel Reynolds have concurred in this filing. I will retain on file for the required period their 

original signatures indicated by “conformed” signatures in this e-filed document. 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 7 of 8
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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING SETTLEMENT OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES,

CASE NO. C 02-3805 EDL

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The terms of the above Stipulation are hereby APPROVED and SO ORDERED. Plaintiffs’ 

Motion for Fees and Costs Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2412 is hereby withdrawn. 

Dated: May ____, 2007 

 

 Magistrate Judge Elizabeth D. Laporte 

Case 3:02-cv-03805-EDL Document 245 Filed 05/08/07 Page 8 of 8