Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_18-cv-02372/USCOURTS-cand-3_18-cv-02372-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Sierra Club
Plaintiff
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Defendant

Document Text:

STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT AND DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE; [PROPOSED] ORDER

18-2372 JCS

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DAVID L. ANDERSON (CABN 149604)

United States Attorney

SARA WINSLOW (DCBN 457643)

Chief, Civil Division

SHARANYA MOHAN (NYRN 5027768)

Assistant United States Attorney

450 Golden Gate Avenue

San Francisco, California 94102-3495

Telephone: (415) 436-7198

Fax: (415) 436-6748

sharanya.mohan@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendant

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

SIERRA CLUB,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL 

PROTECTION AGENCY,

Defendant.

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CASE NO. 18-CV-2372 JCS

STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT AND 

DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE; [PROPOSED]

ORDER

Case 3:18-cv-02372-JCS Document 49 Filed 02/10/20 Page 1 of 5
STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT AND DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE; [PROPOSED] ORDER

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IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the undersigned Plaintiff and Defendant, by and 

through their respective attorneys, as follows:

1. Defendant shall pay $15,000 (fifteen thousand dollars and zero cents) to Plaintiff in full 

and complete satisfaction of Plaintiff’s claims for attorneys’ fees, costs, and litigation expenses under 

the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. § 552, as amended, in the above-captioned matter. 

This payment shall constitute full and final satisfaction of any and all of Plaintiff’s claims for attorneys’ 

fees, costs, and litigation expenses in the above-captioned matter, and is inclusive of any interest. 

Payment of this money will be made by electronic funds transfer or check promptly after notification of 

the Court’s entry of this Stipulation and after receipt of necessary information from Plaintiff to 

effectuate the payment that Defendant has already requested. Defendant will make all reasonable efforts 

to make payment within thirty (30) days of the date that Plaintiff’s counsel provides the necessary 

information for the electronic funds transfer and this Stipulation is approved by the Court, whichever is 

later, but cannot guarantee payment within that time frame.

2. Upon the execution of this Stipulation, Plaintiff, having received responsive records, 

hereby releases and forever discharges Defendant, its successors, the United States of America, and any 

department, agency, or establishment of the United States, and any officers, employees, agents, 

successors, or assigns of such department, agency, or establishment, from any and all claims and causes 

of action that Plaintiff asserted or could have asserted in this litigation with respect to the specific FOIA 

requests on which this action is based, or which hereafter could be asserted by reason of, or with respect 

to, or which arise out of, the specific FOIA requests on which this action is based, including but not 

limited to all past, present, or future claims for attorneys’ fees, costs, or litigation expenses in connection 

with the above-captioned litigation. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, this Stipulation does not 

preclude FOIA litigation based on any other FOIA request by Sierra Club, including requests that may 

seek materials within the scope of the requests at issue in this litigation, so long as the scope of the 

requests are not identical to the scope of the requests at issue to in this litigation.

3. The provisions of California Civil Code Section 1542 are set forth below:

“A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not 

know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if 

known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor 

or released party.”

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STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT AND DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE; [PROPOSED] ORDER

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Plaintiff having been apprised of the statutory language of Civil Code Section 1542 by Plaintiff’s 

attorney, and fully understanding the same, nevertheless elects to waive the benefits of any and all rights 

Plaintiff may have pursuant to the provision of that statute and any similar provision of federal law. 

Plaintiff understands that, if the facts concerning any injuries, liability for damages pertaining thereto, or 

liability for attorneys’ fees, costs or litigation expenses are found hereafter to be other than or different 

than the facts now believed by it to be true, this Stipulation shall be and remain effective 

notwithstanding such material difference.

4. Execution of this Stipulation and its approval by the Court shall constitute dismissal of 

this case with prejudice pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a). 

5. The parties acknowledge that this Stipulation is entered into solely for the purpose of 

settling and compromising Plaintiff’s claim to attorneys’ fees, costs, or other litigation expenses without 

further litigation, and it shall not be construed as evidence or as an admission on the part of Defendant, 

the United States, its agents, servants, or employees regarding any issue of law or fact, or regarding the 

truth or validity of any allegation or claim raised in this action, or as evidence or as an admission by the 

Defendant regarding Plaintiff’s entitlement to attorneys’ fees, costs, or other litigation expenses under 

FOIA. Nor will this Stipulation be construed as an admission on the part of Plaintiff or their counsel 

regarding any issue of law or fact, or regarding the truth or validity of any defense raised in this action, 

or as evidence or as an admission by the Plaintiff regarding attorneys’ fees, costs, or other litigation 

expenses under FOIA. The parties agree that this Stipulation of Settlement will not be used as evidence 

or otherwise in any pending or future civil or administrative action against Defendant or the United 

States, or any agency or instrumentality of the United States.

6. This Stipulation is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the parties hereto and their 

respective successors and assigns.

7. If any provision of this Stipulation shall be held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the 

validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or 

impaired thereby.

8. This Stipulation shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties, and it is 

Case 3:18-cv-02372-JCS Document 49 Filed 02/10/20 Page 3 of 5
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expressly understood and agreed that this Stipulation has been freely and voluntarily entered into by the 

parties hereto. The parties further acknowledge that no warranties or representations have been made on 

any subject other than as set forth in this Stipulation.

9. The persons signing this Stipulation warrant and represent that they possess full authority 

to bind the persons on whose behalf they are signing to the terms of the Stipulation.

10. Any obligation of the Government to expend funds under this Stipulation is subject to the 

availability of appropriations in accordance with the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 1341. This 

Stipulation shall not be construed to require the Government to obligate or pay funds in contravention of 

the Anti-Deficiency Act.

11. This Stipulation may not be altered, modified or otherwise changed in any respect except 

in writing, duly executed by all of the parties or their authorized representatives.

12. It is contemplated that this Stipulation may be executed in several counterparts, with a 

separate signature page for each party. All such counterparts and signature pages, together, shall be 

deemed to be one document.

IT IS SO STIPULATED.

CERTIFICATION

Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 5-1(i)(3), the filer of this document attests under penalty of

perjury that counsel for Plaintiff has concurred in the filing of this document.

DAVID L. ANDERSON

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

DATED: February 5, 2020 _/s/ Sharanya Mohan________________

SHARANYA MOHAN

Attorneys for Defendant 

SIERRA CLUB

DATED: February 5, 2020 _/s/ Sanjay Narayan________________

SANJAY NARAYAN

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

Case 3:18-cv-02372-JCS Document 49 Filed 02/10/20 Page 4 of 5
STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT AND DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE; [PROPOSED] ORDER

18-2372 JCS

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 10, 2020 _____________________________________________

HONORABLE JOSEPH C. SPERO

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:18-cv-02372-JCS Document 49 Filed 02/10/20 Page 5 of 5