Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-01193/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-01193-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Center for Biological Diversity
Plaintiff
Gary F. Locke
Defendant
National Marine Fisheries Service
Defendant

Document Text:

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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. 3:10-cv-01193-CRB

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Miyoko Sakashita (CA Bar No. 239639) 

Andrea A. Treece (CA Bar No. 237639) 

Catherine W. Kilduff (CA Bar No. 256331) 

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 

351 California Street, Suite 600 

San Francisco, CA 94104 

Phone: (415) 436-9682 

Facsimile: (415) 436-9683 

miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org

atreece@biologicaldiversity.org

ckilduff@biologicaldiversity.org 

Attorneys for Plaintiff Center for Biological Diversity 

IGNACIA S. MORENO, Assistant Attorney General 

United States Department of Justice 

Environment & Natural Resources Division 

JEAN WILLIAMS, Section Chief 

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 FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL 

DIVERSITY, 

 Plaintiff, 

 v. 

GARY F. LOCKE, in his official capacity 

as Secretary of the United States 

Department of Commerce, and the 

NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES 

SERVICE, 

 Defendants. 

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Case No. 3:10-01193-CRB

Stipulated Settlement Agreement and 

[Proposed] Order 

 

Case 3:10-cv-01193-CRB Document 6 Filed 05/05/10 Page 1 of 6
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. 3:10-cv-01193-CRB

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 Plaintiff, Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”), and Federal Defendants, Gary F. Locke, 

in his official capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, and the National 

Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”), by and through their undersigned counsel, state as follows: 

 WHEREAS, NMFS added the black abalone to the list of Candidate Species for listing under 

the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) on June 23, 1999, 64 Fed. Reg. 33466 (June 23, 1999); 

 WHEREAS, CBD petitioned NMFS on December 21, 2006 to list the black abalone as either 

an endangered or threatened species under the ESA and to designate critical habitat for the species; 

 WHEREAS, NMFS listed the black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii) as an endangered species 

under the ESA, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq., on January 14, 2009, 74 Fed. Reg. 1937 (Jan. 14, 2009) 

(“Listing Rule”); 

 WHEREAS, NMFS did not designate critical habitat for the black abalone at that time 

because it concluded that such habitat was “not yet determinable because: (1) we lack information 

sufficient to perform required analyses of the impacts of the designation; and (2) the habitat 

requirements of the species are not sufficiently well known to permit identification of an area as 

critical habitat,” Listing Rule at 1945; 

 WHEREAS, NMFS stated that it “intends to proceed with a proposed designation in a 

subsequent rulemaking,” id. at 1939; 

 WHEREAS, NMFS sought “public input to assist in gathering and analyzing the best 

available scientific data and information to support a critical habitat designation, which will be 

proposed in a subsequent Federal Register notice,” and specifically sought “information regarding: 

(1) current or planned activities within the range of black abalone, their possible impact on black 

abalone, and how those activities could be affected by a critical habitat designation; (2) quantitative 

evaluations describing the quality and extent of marine intertidal or subtidal habitats occupied in the 

Case 3:10-cv-01193-CRB Document 6 Filed 05/05/10 Page 2 of 6
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. 3:10-cv-01193-CRB

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past or presently by black abalone; and (3) the economic costs and benefits likely to result from the 

designation of critical habitat,” id. at 1945; 

 WHEREAS, NMFS has not yet designated critical habitat for black abalone; 

 WHEREAS, on January 14, 2010, CBD notified NMFS that it intended to sue the agency 

because it has not yet designated critical habitat for black abalone; 

 WHEREAS, CBD filed this action on March 23, 2010, alleging that NMFS has unlawfully 

failed to designate critical habitat for black abalone; 

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

or final adjudication of the issues of fact or law with respect to CBD’s claims, have reached a 

settlement that they consider to be a just, fair, adequate, and equitable resolution of the disputes set 

out in CBD’s complaint; 

 NOW, THEREFORE, it is stipulated by and between the parties as follows: 

 1. NMFS shall determine whether it is prudent to designate critical habitat for black 

abalone on or before September 20, 2010, and, if it determines that the designation of critical habitat 

is prudent, it shall also submit a proposed rule to designate critical habitat for black abalone to the 

Federal Register on or before September 20, 2010. 

 2. If NMFS determines that the designation of critical habitat is prudent, it shall submit 

a final rule designating critical habitat for black abalone to the Federal Register on or before July 18, 

2011. 

 3. This Agreement requires the Federal Defendants to make the determinations 

described above by the deadlines specified in paragraphs 1 and 2. The Agreement shall not (and 

shall not be construed to) limit or modify the Federal Defendants’ discretion and authority regarding 

the substance of those determinations, or to otherwise limit or modify the authority and discretion 

accorded to the Federal Defendants by the ESA, the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”), or the 

Case 3:10-cv-01193-CRB Document 6 Filed 05/05/10 Page 3 of 6
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. 3:10-cv-01193-CRB

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general principles of administrative law. By entering into this Agreement, CBD does not waive its 

ability to challenge the substantive determination that will be made by NMFS under paragraph 2 or 

any not prudent determination made under paragraph 1, but it must file a separate action to challenge 

these determinations. The Federal Defendants do not waive any applicable defenses in any such 

subsequent actions filed by CBD to challenge the substance of NMFS’s determinations. 

 4. The Order entering this Agreement may be modified by the Court upon good cause 

shown, consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 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. If either party seeks to modify the terms of this Agreement, including the 

deadlines set out in paragraphs 1 and 2, or if a dispute arises out of or relating to this Agreement, or 

if either party believes that the other 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 the other party with notice of the claim. The parties agree that they will meet and confer 

(either by telephone or in person) at the earliest possible time in a good-faith effort to resolve the 

claim before pursuing relief from the Court. If the parties are unable to resolve the claim after 

meeting and conferring, either party may pursue relief from the Court. 

 5. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph 4, CBD’s sole remedy for any alleged 

violation by NMFS of the terms of this Agreement shall be a motion to enforce the terms of this 

Agreement. This Agreement shall not be enforceable through a proceeding for contempt of court. 

This Agreement is not intended to affect the availability of remedies, including contempt, for the 

failure to comply with any orders issued by the Court subsequent to its order approving this 

Agreement. 

Case 3:10-cv-01193-CRB Document 6 Filed 05/05/10 Page 4 of 6
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. 3:10-cv-01193-CRB

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

does not constitute a reasonable timetable for the designation of critical habitat under the ESA in any 

other proceeding regarding the Federal Defendants’ implementation of the ESA or any other statute. 

 7. CBD agrees that the terms of the Agreement fully satisfy the claims in its Complaint 

filed herewith against Defendants, and that CBD is waiving its right to seek attorneys’ fees related to 

its Complaint. No party shall use this Agreement or the terms herein as evidence in any fee 

proceeding in any other case. 

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

or requirement that the Federal Defendants take action in contravention of the ESA, the APA, or any 

other law or regulation, either substantive or procedural. 

 9. Nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted as, or shall constitute, a requirement 

that the Federal Defendants are obligated to pay any funds exceeding those available, or take any 

action in contravention of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 1341, or any other appropriations 

law. 

 10. The parties agree that this Agreement was negotiated in good faith and constitutes a 

settlement of claims that were disputed by the parties. By entering into this Agreement, no party 

waives any claim or defense. 

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

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

this Agreement and do hereby agree to the terms herein. 

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

Court ratifying the Agreement. 

 13. Upon entry of this Agreement by the Court, all counts of CBD’s Complaint shall be 

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

Case 3:10-cv-01193-CRB Document 6 Filed 05/05/10 Page 5 of 6
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Stipulated Settlement Agreement Case No. 3:10-cv-01193-CRB

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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, until the Federal Defendants satisfy their obligations under the Agreement. See 

Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am., 511 U.S. 375 (1994). 

IT IS SO STIPULATED this 29th day of April, 2010. 

 IGNACIA S. MORENO, Assistant Attorney General 

 United States Department of Justice 

 Environment & Natural Resources Division 

 

 /s/ Jean Williams 

 JEAN WILLIAMS, Section Chief 

 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 

 

Miyoko Sakashita, Oceans Director 

 CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 

 Andrea A. Treece, Senior Attorney 

 /s/ Catherine W. Kilduff 

 Catherine W. Kilduff, Staff Attorney 

 CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 

 351 California Street, Suite 600 

 San Francisco, CA 94104 

 Phone: (415) 436-9682 / Facsimile: (415) 436-9683 

 Attorneys for Plaintiff Center for Biological Diversity 

PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, 

IT IS SO ORDERED 

 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE DATE 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORN

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A

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Charles R. Breyer

May 5, 2010

Case 3:10-cv-01193-CRB Document 6 Filed 05/05/10 Page 6 of 6