### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 1 

### of 16

IN THE UNITED 

### STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE 

### DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

AVENAL POWER 

### CENTER, LLC 

### ONE ALLEN 

### CENTER, LEVEL 

### 31 500 DALLAS STREET 

### HOUSTON, TX 

### 77002



### Plaintiff,

v. CIVIL 

### ACTION NO. 

### U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1200 

### PENNSYLVANIA

### AVENUE, N.W. 

### WASHINGTON, DC 

### 20004 and LISA P. 

### JACKSON, ADMINISTRATOR, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1200 PENNSYLVANIA

### AVENUE, N.W. 

### WASHINGTON, DC 

### 20004

Defendants.

ORIGINAL COMPLAINT Plaintiff Avenal Power 

### Center, LLC 

## ("Avenal" or the 

## "Company"), by and 

## through its 

### attorneys, filesthis

## complaintagainstthe United States Environmental Protection

## Agencyand LisaP. 

### Jackson, Administrator ofthe United States 

### Environmental Protection

### Agency

## (the "Administrator") 

## (collectively, "Defendants" or 

## "EPA") and 

## alleges and says as 

### follows:

1 I I I

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

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## Page 2 

### of 16

NATURE OF THE 

### ACTION 1. This is a 

### citizen suit to 

### enforce the Clean Air Act 

## ("CAA" or 

### "the 

## Act"), 

## brought under section 

## 304(a)(2) of

### the 

### CAA, 42 U.S.C. 

## 7604(a)(2), againstthe Defendants fortheir failure to

## perform a 

## mandatoryduty required bythe Act. 2. 

### Since

## August2007, the 

## Company

## (and its

## predecessor, Federal Power

## Avenal, 

## LLC) has been 

## working with EPA to secure 

### the necessary 

## approvals to construct a 

### state-of-the-art 600 

### megawatt natural 

## gas-fired power 

## plant, known as 

### the 

### Avenal 

## Energy 

## Project (the "Project") 3. 

### Under the 

### Act, construction on 

### the 

## Project caimot 

## begin until EPA 

### issues a 

### "Prevention of

## Significant Deterioration" 

## ("PSD") permit, to ensure, among 

### other

## things, that the 

## Projectwill not

### violate any

### air

## qualitystandards andwill havethe "bestavailable control

## technology" to 

### control certain air emissions. 42 

### U.S.C. 7470-7492. 4. The 

## permit conditions 

## imposed by the San 

## Joaquin Valley Air 

### Pollution Control District and 

## alreadyaccepted bythe 

## Company are 

### sufficient to ensure 

### that the 

## Project meets 

### all the 

## requirements ofthe Clean AirAct. In

### fact, the 

## Projectwill be among

### the cleanestpower

## plants in

### the world. 5. 

### The initial PSD

## permitapplication forthe 

## Project was 

### submitted to EPA 

### in 

## February 2008, and EPA 

### notified the 

## Company 

## by letter 

### dated March 

### 19, 

### 2008, that 

### the PSD 

## permit application was 

## complete. 6. Under Section 

## 165(c) ofthe 

### CAA, 42 

### U.S.C. 

## 7475(c), EPA 

### is

## required to

### take final action on a PSD 

## permit

## application within one year

### of

## receiving the 

## complete

## application. By law, Defendants should have 

## granted or 

### denied the PSD 

## permit for the 

## Project no 

### later

### than March 

### 19, 2009.

-2-

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 3 

### of 16

7. 

## Despite repeated requests from the 

## Company

## asking Defendants to 

### take final action

on

### the PSD

## permitapplication, Defendants have

## disregarded and continue to

## disregardtheir

### statutory 

## duty to act on the 

### PSD 

## permit application. 8. 

### Defendants' failure to

## complywith their

## mandatorydutyhas

## had, andwill continueto 

### have, substantial adverse economic 

## impacts on 

### the 

## Company. THE 

### PARTIES 9. Defendants are 

### the United States 

### Environmental Protection 

## Agency and Lisa P. 

## Jackson, Administrator ofthe United States 

### Environmental Protection

## Agency. Both are 

### located and have their

## principal place of

## business at 1200 

## PennsylvaniaAvenue 

### N.W., 

## Washington, DC 20004. Pursuant to 

### Federal Rule 

### ofCivil 

### Procedure 

## 4(i) and 42 U.S.C. 

## 7604(c)(3), EPA may 

### be served with process 

## bydelivering a copy 

### ofthe summons 

### and 

## complaintvia

## registered or 

### certified mail to 

### the United States 

### attorney forthe district in which this 

### action is 

## brought, to 

### the 

## Attorney General of 

### the United 

### States, and to the EPA 

### Administrator. 10. The 

## Company, Avenal Power 

### Center, 

## LLC, is the 

## developer ofthe 

## Project. The 

## Company is a 

## "person" within the 

## meaning ofSection 

### 302(e) ofthe 

### Act, 42 U.S.C. 

## 7602(e). JURISDICTION AND VENUE 

### 11. This Court has

## jurisdiction over

### the 

## subject matter 

### ofthis action

### pursuant to section 

## 304(a) ofthe 

### Act, 42 U.S.C. 

## 7604(a), and 28 U.S.C. 

### 1331. 12. Venue 

### is proper in 

### this Court 

### pursuant to 

### section 

## 304(a) and 28 U.S.C. 

## 1391(e).

I I I I I I

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### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 4 

### of 16

BACKGROUND A. 

## Statutory and 

## Regulatory Background 13. 

### The Act creates a 

### detailed and 

## comprehensive legal framework

## designed to 

### protect and enhance the 

## quality of the nation's air while at 

### the same 

### time 

## allowing for 

### economic 

## development. 14. Part C 

### of Title I 

### of the 

### Act, 42 U.S.C. 

### 7470-7492, sets 

### forth 

## permitting requirements for power

## plants and other

## major industrial facilities to 

### be 

### built in areas 

### that 

## already meet 

### federal air

## quality standards for clean air. These

## requirements are 

## designed to 

### protect

## public health and 

### welfare and to ensure 

### that economic 

## growth will occur in a manner 

### consistent with 

### the 

## preservation of

## existing clean 

### air resources. 

### These 

## provisions are 

## generally referred to as 

### the PSD program. 15. As set 

### forth in Section 

### 165, 42 

### U.S.C. 

### 7475, and 40 C.F.R. 

### 52.21, any person 

## proposing to construct a

## majorstationary source 

### in an 

### attainment area must

### first obtain a PSD

## permit. 16. Underthe PSD program, a

## "majorstationary source" is defined to 

### include fossil fuelfired steam 

### electric 

## plants of more 

### than 250 

### million British 

### thermal units 

## (Btu) per 

### hour heat

## input which emit or 

### have the 

## potential to 

### emit one 

### hundred tons per year or more 

### of any 

## regulated air 

## pollutant. 40 

### C.F.R. 

## 52.21(b)(1)(i)(a). 17. 

### Section 

## 165(c) ofthe Act states: 

## Any 

## completed permit application under 

## [the PSD 

## program] for a 

## major 

## emitting facility in any area to 

### which this 

### part 

## applies shall be 

## granted or 

### denied not 

### later than one year 

### after the date of

## filing of such 

## completed 

## application.

-4-

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 5 

### of 16

42 

### U. S.C. 

## 7475(c). Section 

## 165(c) establishes a

### clear, 

## nondiscretionaryduty on EPA to 

### takefinal action on a PSD 

## permit application within twelve 

### months after 

## receiving a 

## complete permit 

## application. B. The 

## Project's PSD Permit

## Application 18. 

### The 

## Project is a

## majorstationary source that

### the

## Company has

## proposed to construct 

### in an area

## designated as 

## attaining the National Ambient Air

## Quality Standards. 19. 

### Since

## August2007, the

### Companyhas been

## workingwith EPA to secure a PSD

## permit for the 

## Project. 20. The PSD

## permitapplicationforthe 

## Project was 

### submitted to EPA 

### in

## February2008. 21. EPA 

### issued a 

### letter

## findingthe

## application to 

### be

## complete on 

### March 

### 19, 2008. Atrue 

### and correct copy 

### of this letter is 

### attached to 

### this 

## Complaint as 

### Exhibit A 

### and 

## incorporated by reference herein. 22. 

### Under Section 

## 165(c) ofthe 

### Act, 42 U.S.C. 

## 7475(c), Defendants were 

## required to 

### take final action on the PSD 

## permit application for the 

## Project no 

### later than March 

### 19, 2009. 

### Defendants have

## disregardedtheir

## nondiscretionary

## duty and still have not

### taken final action onthe 

## permit, even

## though the 

### statutory deadline for 

### such action was 

### almost a year ago. 

### NOTICE 23, Section 

## 304(a)(2) ofthe 

### Act, 42 U.S.C. 

## 7604(a)(2), 

## provides that: 

## Except as 

## provided in 

### subsection 

## (b) of this 

### section, any person may commence a 

### civil action on 

### his own 

### behalf.... 

## against the 

### Administrator where there is 

## alleged a 

### failure ofthe Administrator to 

## perform any act or 

## duty under this 

## chapterwhich is not

## discretionary with the 

### Administrator.

-5-

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 6 

### of 16

24. 

### Section

## 304(b)(2) ofthe 

### Act, 42 U.

### S.C. 

## 7604(b)(2),providesthat ''no action may

### be 

### commenced... under subsection 

## (a)(2) ofthis section 

## prior to 

### 60 

## days after

### the

## plaintiffhas

## given notice 

### ofsuch action to the 

### Administrator." 25. Plaintiffgave 

### actual notice to 

### Defendants ofits intentto

### file

### this civil action in a

### letter 

### addressed to 

### the Administrator dated December

### 21, 2009 

## (the "Notice 

## Letter"). A true 

### and correct copy 

### ofthe Notice Letter

### is 

### attached to 

### this

## Complaint as 

### Exhibit B 

### and is

## incorporatedby reference herein. This Notice Letter 

### satisfies the

## pre-suit notice 

## requirement ofsection 

## 304(b) of

### the 

### Act, 42 

### U.S.C. 

## 7604(b). 26. The 

## 60-day 

## period required by section 

## 304(b) of the 

### Act, 42 

### U.S.C. 

## 7604(b), between issuance ofthe Notice Letter and con-n-nencement ofthis 

### civil action 

## expired on 

## February 22, 2010.CLAIM FOR FAILURE TO 

### PERFORM NONDISCRETIONARY DUTY 27. 

## Paragraphs 1 

## through 26 are 

## realleged and 

## incorporated herein 

## by reference. 28. Defendants have failed to

## performtheir

## nondiscretionary

## duty under

### section 

## 165(c) of the 

### Act, 42 

### U.S.C. 

## 7475(c), to 

### either

### grant or

## deny the 

## completed PSD 

## permitapplication for

### the 

## Project not 

### later than one year 

### after the date of

## filing ofsuch 

## completed PSD 

## permit

## application. 29. 

### Absent an

## appropriate order ofthis 

### Court, Defendants will 

### continue to

## disregardthis 

### statutory 

## duty and not 

### render a 

### decision on 

### the PSD 

## permit for the

## Project. 30. As 

## provided in sections 

## 304(a) and 

## (d) of the 

### Act, 42 U.S.C. 

## 7604(a) and 

## (d), Defendants' failure to 

## perform their

## nondiscretionary

## dutysubjects them to 

## injunctive relief, costs, and 

## attorneys' fees 

### for this action that this Court 

### determines 

## appropriate.

I

-6-

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 7 

### of 16

PRAYER FOR 

### RELIEF 

### WHEREFORE, the 

### Company requests that this Court: Order 

### Defendants to 

## immediately grant or 

## deny the PSD 

## permitapplication for

### the 

## Project as 

## required by the 

### CAA; 2. 

### Order Defendants to 

### take other

## appropriate actions to 

## remedy, mitigate, and offsetthe harm to 

### Plaintiff

### caused

## by Defendants' 

## disregard oftheir 

### statutory

## duty; 3. 

### Award Plaintiffits 

## attorneys' fees and costs 

### ofthis 

### action; and 4. 

### Grant 

### such other relief as 

### the Court 

### deems

## just and proper.



### Dated: 

### riql, 

### L.3.1 

### C5. 

## 2 01 0 

## Respectfully submitted, BRACEWELL & 

### GIULIANI LLP



# LINIC` effrey. 

# Ha/ d ki 

### C. arN‘. 45 

### 974 

### Bracewell & 

### Giuliani LLP 2000 K 

### St., NW, Suite 500 

## Washington, DC 20006-1872 

## Telephone: 

## (202) 828-5852 

## Telecopier (202) 857-4812 

## Jeff

## holmstead@bglip. coin

-7

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 8 

### of 16



## EXHIBIT A

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 9 

### of 16

T)7i,1"'Es.1; ENVt tt cr• .ic f i.3

a.
san

March 19, 2008
Nit. Stuart Zisman 

### AvenalPower 

### Center, LLC 500 Datlas 

### Street, Level 31 

### Houston, 'IN 77002 

### Subject: .Prevention of

### Significant Deterioration 

## Appbcation .No, 08-S,1-01

.Avenal Power 

### Center, LLC Menai 

## Energy Project., Avenal, California Dear 

### 1V1r. Zisman; 

### This letter is in 

### response. to Avenal Power 

### Center, LLCS 

### application for a 

### Prevention of

### S.n4allicant Deterioration 

### (PSI)) Permit for the Avenal Power 

### Center, LIC's Avenal f.'`,nergy

## Project, The 

## application was submitted with the letter 

### or transmittal dated 

### February 15, 2008 and received 

### by this office on 

### February 20, 2003. Additional 

## application copies t'lo WM': 

## provided on 

### March 

### 3, 2008, 

### The 

### application k for the construction 

### and 

## operation of a 600 MW 

## combined-cycle electric power ir,

## enerating plant mid 

## ancillary facilities. The 

## proposed projectwill be located between the San I iii s Canal 

### (Calitbrnia 

## Aqueduct) aod the Avenal 

### Cutoff

### Road, six 

### Miles northeast of the 

### City of.Avenal ma 

### Kings 

### County, Califbrnia. After our review ofthe above 

## application, as well as 

## follow-up information submitted per our 

### request and 

### received on March 14. 2008 and March 

### 17. 

### 2008, we have 

### determined that 

### the P,

SD 

## permit 

## application is

## administrativelycomplete as ofMarch 

### 19, 2008. A 

## preliminarydetermination, which will include an 

### Ambient 

### Air 

## Quality Impact 

## Report 

## (AAQ1R) and draft 

### permit, is 

## being 

## developed. However, it is 

## possible that we 

### wi If need 

### clarifying information on one or inure 

### parts orthe 

### application before. we can issue a draft 

## permit. 'this notification ofadministrative 

## completeness does not 

### imply that the :ETA agrees with any

## analyses, conclusions or

### positions contained in 

### the 

### application. Also, if you should 

### request a 

## suspension in the 

## processing ofthe 

## application, or 

### submit: new information 

## indicating a 

### significant 

## change in the 

## projectdesign, ambient 

### impact or 

### emissions, this determination 

### ofadministrative 

## completeness may be re,

### .:i.sed,

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 10 

### of 16



### Upon iSStla rice Ofthe 

## preliminary determination, We will 

## publish a 

## public notiee of our intent to issue the 

## permit. The comment 

## period 

## specified in the notice shall 

### he at least 30 

### days. Please be 

### advised 

### that; at any 

### time. anyone may have full access to the 

## applicadon materials and other 

### MIOrmation you 

## provide to us in connection with 

### this

## permit action. There

### fOre, we are 

## informing you ofyour 

### riLthts to claim business 

## conlidentiality under 40 CFR 

## Subpart 13 lor any 

### part of or all ofthe information you 

## provide us, 

### lfyou do not make a 

### claim of

## confidentiality [br any or

### this material within 15 

### days ofthe date you receive 

### this letteryou 

### will have waived your

## right to do so. The 

### facility name and address may not he 

### claimed as 

### confidential. 11 you wish to claim 

### confidentiality, you must substantiate your claim. Your substantiation must address the 

### points enumerated in the 

### attachment to this 

### letter> it1 accordance with 40 

## CFR 2,

### 204(0. ITyou have any

### questions 

## concerning the 

### lin/3M ofyour

## application, please 4.:ontact 

## Shirley F. Rivera, Environmental 

## Engineer, of my staffat 

### (415) 972-3966. For 

### questions 

## regarding confidentiality claims. 

## please contact. Ann 

### Lyons at 

### (415) 972-3S83. Eor air

### quality 

## modeling questions, please contact Carol 

### Bohnenkamp at 

### (415) 947-4130. 

### Sincerely, /fie 

### Vitn'i V (ierardo Rios 

### (Thiel Permits Office
Attachment

cc; Jim 

### Rexroad, Avenal Power

### Center, FIX Robert 

### Fletcher, 

### CaliforniaAir Resource 

### Board 

## ChristopherMeyer, California 

### Energy Commission Derek 

### Fukuda, San 

### Joaquin 

## Valley APCD Dave 

### Warner, San 

### Joaquin 

## Valley APCD Eric 

### Walther, Sierra 

### Research

2

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 11 

### of 16



### 'Distribution_qf

### conies: Jim Rex.road Avenal 'Power

### Center, LLC 500 Dallas 

### Street, 'Level 31 .1-10usto n. TX 

### 77002 Robert 

### Fletcher, Division Chief 

### Stationary Source Division California Air Resources Board 1001 "r- Street P.O. Box 2815 

### Sacramento, CA 

### 95812 

### ChristopherMeyer, 

## Project Manager California 

## Energy Commission 1516 

## 9th Street, MS-15 

### Sacramento, CA 95814 Derek 

### Fukuda, .Air

### Quality

## Engineer San 

## Joaquin Valley APCD 1990 .E. 

## Gettysburg Ave. 

### Fresno, CA 937726 Dave 

### Warner, Director, Permit Services San 

## Joaquin Valley APCD 1990 E. 

### Gettysburg Ave. 

### Fresno, CA 93726 Eric Walther 

### Sierra Research 1801 J Street 

### Sacramento, CA 95814

3

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 12 

### of 16



### ATTACHMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLA lm 

### CONFIDENTJALITY

A. Pursuant to 40 CFR 

## 2.204(e), your claim must address these 

## points: I. The 

## portions ofthe 

### inkrmation 

## alleged to be

### entitled to 

### confidential treatment; it. The 

### period of

### time for which 

### confidential treatment is 

### desired 

## by the business 

### (e.g., until the occu.rrence of:a

## specific event, or 

## permane.ntly); iii. The purpose for which 

### the information was 

### l'urnished to EPA 

### and the 

## appropriate (late 

### of

### submission, if

### known; iv. 'Whether a business

## confidentiality claim 

## accompanied the information when it was 

### received 

### by EPA;

v, Measures taken 

## by you to 

## guard against. the 

### .undesited disclosure 

### ofthe information to 

### others: vi. The extent to which the 

### information has 'been 

### disclosed to others 

### and the 

## precautions taken in 

### connection

### therewith; Pertinent

## confidentiality determinations, ifany, 

## by EPA or other 

### 'Federal 

## agencies, and a copy of any such 

### determination or 

### reference to 

### it, if

### available; viii.Whether you assert that 

### disclosure ofthis 

### information would be 

## likely .to result in substantial 

### harintUl effects on your business's 

## competitive position, and ifso, what those 

### harmful effects would 

### be, 

### why

## they Shduld be viewed as 

### substantial; and an 

## explanation ofthe casual 

## relationship between disclosure and such harmful 

### effect, and ix. Whetheryou assert that the information 

### is

### .voluntarily submitted 

### information and if so, 

### whether any disclosure ofthe information would tend to lessen the 

### availability to EPA ofsimihir 

### information in the future. 

### "Voluntarily submitted 

### information" is defined in 40 CFR Section 

## 2.201(1) as business information in EPA's 

## possession. a) The 

### submission ofwhich EPA has no 

### statutory or contractual 

## authority to 

### require; and 

### b) The submission 

### ofwhich was not

## prescribed by statute or 

### regulation as a 

### condition of

### obtaining some 

### benefit (or

### avoiding some 

## disadvantage)

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 13 

### of 16

under a 

### regulatory program of

## general 

## apphcability, including such 

### regulatoryprograms as 

## permit, hcensing, 

## 'registration, or certification. programs, but 

## excluding programs concerned 

## solely o.r 

## primarily with. 

### the award or administration 

## by EpA ofcontracts or 

### grants. B. We will diloe in Formation covered 

### by your claim 

### only to the extent 

## provided for in 40 CFR Part 

### 2, 

## Subpart B 

## Confidentiality ofBusiness Informatkm. 

### Please address your 

### claim and sLzhst;:tatiadon of

## confidentiality to the

## staliperson mentioned in the letter at 

## Region 9 

### (A

### ER-3), 75 

### Hawthorne 

### Street, San Francisco. CA 94105.

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 14 

### of 16



## EXHIBIT B

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 15 

### of 16



# BRACI Texas NewYork Jeffrey R. Holmslead

Partner 

# &GIULIANI Washington, DC Conneoticut 202.828,5552 Office Dubai 202,8574812 Fax Kazakhstan London jeff.holmstead@bglfia.com

Bracewell & Oiuiiani LLP 2000 K Street NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20006-1872



### December

### 21, 2009 

### By Messenger and Electronic 

### Mail

The 

### Honorable Lisa Jackson 

### Administrator U.S. 

### Environmental Protection 

### Agency 1200 

### Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 

## Washington, DC 20460 

### RE: Notice of Intent to Sue EPA for Its 

### Failure to Act on Avenal PSD 

### Permit as 

## required bythe Clean 

### AirAct Dear Ms. Jackson: 

### I am 

## writing on 

### behalfofAvenal Power

### Center, LLC 

## ("Avenal Power"), the

## applicant for a Prevention 

### of

## Significant Deterioration 

## (PSD) permit forthe 

## proposed Avenal 

## Energy Project("Avenal") 

## (permit number SJ 

## 08-01). In 

### accordance with section 304 ofthe Clean Air

### Act, 42 

### U.S.C. 

## §7604(a)(2), this letter shall serve as 

### formal notice ofAvenal 

### Power's intent to 

### file suit

### against the U.S. 

### Environmental Protection 

### Agency 

### (EPA) for EPA's 

### failure to 

## perform its 

## mandatoryduty under the Clean Air Act to issue the PSD

## permit for 

### Avenal in a

### timely fashion. Section 

## 165(c) ofthe 

### Clean Air Act

## requires EPA to take final 

### action on a PSD 

## permit within 12 

### months after

### receiving a

## complete 

## permitapplication. 42 

### U.S.C. 

## §7475(c). Averial Power 

### submitted its 

## permit

## application on 

### February 15, 

### 2008, and EPA 

### notified Avenal Power

### that its PSD 

## permitapplication was 

## complete on 

### March 

### 19, 2008. 

### Thus, 

## bystatute, EPA 

### should have taken final 

### action on the 

### Avenal 

## permit more than 9 months ago. Section 304 ofthe Clean Air Act 

### authorizes civil actions

## against the Administrator to 

## compel him or herto 

## perform any act or

## dutythat is not

## discretionary underthe Clean 

### Air Act. 42 U.S.C. 

## §7604(a)(2). The 

### Administrative Procedure

### Act, 5 U.S.C. 

### 706, as well as 

### Section 304 ofthe Clean 

### Air

### Act, also authorizes lawsuits to 

## compel EPA to take 

### actions, such as 

## permitting decisions, that have been 

## unreasonably 

## delayed. This letter

## provides the necessary notice 

## required before such actions can be 

### filed, which may occur 

## sixty(60) 

## days (for a

## mandatorydutysuit) and 

### one-hundred and 

## eighty(180) days 

## (for a suit

### based on EPA's

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 16 

### of 16

The 

### Honorable Lisa 

### Jackson December

### 21, 2009 

### Page 2 

### unreasonable

## delay) from the 

### date ofthis letter. 42 

### 7604. IfAvenal Power 

### finds it necessary to file any 

### such 

### action, it will seek 

### all 

## appropriate relief, 

## including injunctive, declaratory, monetary, and any 

### other reliefas may 

### be awarded 

## by a court of

### competent 

## jurisdiction. This 

## permitting action is 

## straightforward and does not raise any 

### unusual issues, Avenal Power 

### has 

## proposed to construct a 

### natural 

## gas-fired combined 

## cycle

## generating station that

### would 

## employ state-of-the-art control 

## technology for

## minimizing emissions. The 

### Company and its 

### expert consultants have worked 

## cooperativelywith EPA

## throughoutthe 

## permitting process to ensure 

### thatthe

### Agency has 

## everything it 

### needs to process the 

## permit application and issue 

### the 

## permit. From 

### the very

### beginning, Avenal Power 

### has 

### made it clear 

### that time was 

### ofthe essence 

### because offinancial 

### commitments the 

## Company was 

## required to 

### make, and that it was 

## relying on EPA issue the

## permit in accordance with the 

### schedule set 

### by Congress. Even

### though this deadline 

## passed many months ago, 

### the

### Company has 

### been somewhat reassured 

### by statements 

### from EPA 

### officials that the 

## permitwould be 

### issued before the 

### end ofthe year. It now appears, 

### however, that 

### this schedule is in 

### doubt. The comment

## period, which 

### had been 

### extended to 

### accommodate everyone 

### who had 

### raised any concerns about the

## proposed 

## project, ended more than two months ago. Even so, there were 

## relatively few comments on 

### the 

## proposedpermit, and these comments 

### do not raise any new or 

### difficult issues. We 

## simply do not 

### understand 

## why it has taken so 

## long to 

### finalize a PSD 

## permit for a

### state-of-the-art combined

## cycle 

## gas-fired power

## plant. We 

### still 

### hope that the 

### Agency will issue the

## permit by year 

### end and 

### that itwill not be necessary for us to 

### bring a 

### lawsuit to 

### force the EPA to issue a 

## permitthat, 

## by law, it should have 

### issued almost a year ago. 

### However, unless the 

### Agency acts 

### within the 

## 60-day notice 

## period, we are 

## prepared to file a

## complaintseeking all 

## appropriate remedies 

### from a court 

### of 

### competent

## jurisdiction. Very

## truly yours,

rey

# R.4-c.fio

stead

# e(Ak., Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
CC: Laura

### Yoshii, EPA 

## Region 9 

### (by electronic 

## mail) Deborah 

### Jordan, EPA

## Region 9 

## (by electronic

## mail) Kerry Drake, 

## Region 9 

### (by electronic 

## mail) Gerardo 

### Rios, EPA 

### Region 9 

## (by electronic 

### mail) Gina

## McCarthy, OAR

## (by electronic

### mail) Bill 

### Haxnett, 

### OAR/OAQPS 

### (by electronic 

### mail) Brian 

### Doster, OGC 

## (by electronic 

### mail)/05 DC) 

### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1-1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 1 

### of 2 

# C CIVIL COVER SHEET 

# 10-32a
.1S-44 I (a) PLAINTIFFS DEFENDANTS U S. Environmental Protection Agency and Lisa P Jackson, in her capacity Avenal Power 

### Center, LLC as Administrator ofthe United States Environmental ProtectionAgency
COUNTY OF RESIDENCE OF FIRST LISTED DEFENDANT

(IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY) (b) COUN TY OF RESIDENCE OF FIRST LISTED PLAINTIFF NOTE IN L AND CONDEMNATION CASES, USE THE LOCATION OF THE TRACT OF (EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES) LAND INVOLVED (c) A FTORNEYS (FIRM NAME, ADDRESS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER) Jeffrey R Holmstead, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP 

### Case: 

### 1:10-cv-00383 2000 K St, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20006-1872 

## Assigned To: 

### Leon, Richard J. Telephone. (202) 828-5852 

## Assign. Date: 

### 3/9/2010 

## Description: Admn 

## Agency Review II. BASIS OF JURISDICTION III CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES (PLACE AN x IN ONE BOX FOR PLAINTIFF AND ONE BOX FOR DEFENDANT) FOR DIVERSITY CASES ONLY! (PLACE AN x IN ONE BOX ONLY) 

### 0 1 U S Government 

### 0 3 Federal Question PTF DFT PTF DFT Plaintiff (ll S Government Not a Party) Citizen ofthis State 

### 0 1 

### 0 I Incorporated or Principal Place 

### 0 4 

### 0 4 of Business in This State 

# 9® 2 U S Government 

### 0 4 Diversity Defendant (Indicate Citizenship of Citizen ofAnother State 

### 0 2 

### 0 2 Incorporated and Principal Place 

### 0 

### 0 5

Parties in item III) of Business in Another State

Citizen orSubject of a 

### 0 3 

### 0 3 Foreign Country Foreign Nation 

### 0 6 

### 0 6 IV. CASE ASSIGNMENT AND NATURE OF SUIT (Place a X in one category, A-N, that best represents your cause of action and one in a corresponding Nature of Suit) 0 A. Antitrust 0 B. Personal 

### Injury/ 

# ()C. Administrative

### Agency 0 D. 

### Temporary Restraining



### Malpractice Review 

### Order/Preliminary Injunction 1 1 151 Medicare Act 1 1 410 Antitrust 1 1 310 Airplane Any nature of suit from any category may Social Security: El3• 15 Airplane Product Liability be selected for this category of case ri 861 HIA ((1395M I 1 320 Assault, Libel & Slander assignment. r---i ni3•30 Federal Employers Liability 862 Black Lung (923) 1 I 340 Marine 1 1 863 DIWC/D1WW (405(g) "(IfAntitrust, then A governs)* 345 Marine Product Liability 1 1 864 SSID Title XVI r 1 350 Motor Vehicle 1 1 865 RSI (405(g) E1 355 Motor Vehicle Product Liability Other Statutes CD 360 Other Personal Injury I 1 891 Agricultural Acts I 1 362 Medical Malpractice I I 892 Economic Stabilization Act El3•65 Product Liability 

# (l1 1 

### id) 893 Environmental Matters 1 1 368 Asbestos Product Liability '894 Energy Allocation Act n1 890 Other Statutory Actions (If AdministrativeAgency is Involved) 0 E. General Civil 

### (Other) OR 0 F. Pro Se General Civil Real Property Bankruptcy Forfeiture/Penaltv 1 1210 Land Condemnation 1 1422 Appeal 28 USC 158 El 610 Agriculture El 470 Racketeer Influenced & 1 1220 Foreclosure I I 423 Withdrawal 28 USC 157 Fl 620 Other Food &Drug Corrupt Organizations ni 230 Rent, Lease & Ejectment 1-1 625 Drug Related Seizure r---i 480 Consumer Credit I 1240 Torts to Land Prisoner Petitions of Property 21 USC 881 1 1 490 Cable/Satellite TV I 12,45 Tort Product Liability El 535 Death Penalty I I 630 Liquor Laws r-i 810 Selective Service 1 1290 All Other Real Property 1 1 540 Mandamus & Other 1 640 RR & Truck 1 1 850 Securities/Commodities/ El 550 Civil Rights I I 650 Airline Regs Exchange Personal Property I 1 555 Prison Condition I 1 660 Occupational 1 1 875 CustomerChallenge 12 USC 

### E1370 Other Fraud Safety/Health 3410 r—1.57f cruth in Lemling Property Rights 690 Other Lj 900 Appeal offee determination 

# i
r 1 1380 Other Personal Property Damage 1-1 820 Copyrights underequal access to Justice El 385 Property Damage Product Liability ri 830 Patent 1 1 950 Constitutionality ofState F---] 840 Trademark Other Statutes Statutes I 400 State Reapportionment E] 890 Other Statutory Actions (if Federal Tax Suits 1 1 430 Banks & Banking not administrative agency 1 1870 Taxes (US plaintiff or F-1450 Commerce/ICC review or Privacy Act defendant Rates/etc. 

# CI ED 871 IRS-Third Party 26 I 1460 Deportation USC 7609I. RECOR aint



### Case 1:10-cv-00383-RJL Document 1-1 

### Filed 

### 03/09/10 

## Page 2 

### of 2
0 G. Habeas 

### Corpus/ 0 H. 

### Employment 0 I. FOL4/PRIVACY 0 J. Student Loan 2255 Discrimination ACT 1-1 152 Recovery ofDefaulted I I 530 Habeas Corpus-General Fl 442 Civil Rights-Employment El 895 Freedom of Information Act Student Loans I I 510 Motion/Vacate Sentence (criteria: race, gender/sex, F-1 890 Other Statutory Actions (excluding veterans) national origin, (if PrivacyAct) discrimination, disability age, religion, retaliation) *(If pro se, select thisdeck)* *(Ifpro se, select this deck)* 0 K. Labor/ERISA 0 L. Other Civil 

### Rights 0 M. Contract 0 N. 

### Three-Judge Court 

### (non-employment) 

## (non-employment) I 1 110 Insurance FT 441 Civil Rights-Voting I I 120 Marine (ifVoting Rights Act) E..] 710 Fair Labor Standards Act I I 441 Voting (if not Voting Rights I 1 130 MillerAct I 720 Labor/Mgmt. Relations Act) ni 140 Negotiable Instrument I 730 Labor/Mgmt. Reporting & El 443 Housing/Accommodations I I 150 Recovery ofOverpayment & Disclosure Act =I 444 Welfare Enforcement ofJudgment I I 740 Labor Railway Act E:I 440 Other Civil Rights rl 153 Recovery ofOverpayment of I 1 790 Other Labor Litigation 1-1 445 American w/Disabilities- Veteran's Benefits I I 791 Empl. Ret. Inc. Security Act Employment El 160 Stockholder's Suits I I 446 Americans w/Disabilities- ED 190 Other Contracts Other Fl 195 Contract Product Liability

I I 196 Franchise V. ORIGIN 1 Original 0 2 Removed 0 3 Remanded from 0 4 Reinstated 

### 0 5 Transferred from 

### 0 6 Multi district 0 7 Appeal to Proceeding from State Appellate Court or Reopened anotherdistrict Litigation DistrictJudge

Court (specify) from Mag. Judge 

# CI V. CAUSE OF ACTION (CITE THE U.S. CIVIL STATUTE UNDER WHICH YOU ARE FILING AND WRITE A BRIEF STATEMENT OF

### CAUSEJ, 1 42 U S.0 7604(a)(2), against the Defendants for theirfailure to perform a mandatory duty required by 

### law, VII. REQUESTED IN CHECK IF THIS IS A CLASS DEMAND 

### Attorney fees and 

### costs: Check YES only ifdernande.uji pl; COMPLAINT 

### I 

### I ACTION UNDER F R C P 23 JURY DEMAND: YES 

### I I NO

# 0 VIII. RELATED CASE(S) (See instruction) YES 

## L I NO Ifyes, please complete related case form IF ANY. DATE,,,,j 0 SIGNATURE OF ATTORNEY OF
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING‘GOIL COVER

## TCET JS-44

Authority for Civil Cover Sheet The JS-44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replaces nor supplements the filings and service ofpleadings or other papers as required by law, except as provided by local rules of court This form, approved by the Judicial Conference ofthe United States in September 1974, is required for the use ofthe Clerk of Court for the purpose of initiating the civil docket sheet Consequently a civil cover sheet is submitted to the Clerk ofCourt for each civil complaint Filed Listed below are tips for completing the civil cover sheet These tips coincide with the Roman Numerals on the Cover Sheet

COUNTY OF RESIDENCE OF FIRST LISTED PLAINTIFF/DEFENDANT (b) County ofresidence Use 11001 to indicateplaintiff is resident of Washington, D C, 88888 ifplaintiff is resident ofthe United States but not ofWashington, D.0, and 99999 ifplaintiff is outside the United States CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES This section is completed only ifdiversity ofcitizenship was selected as the Basis ofJuriscliction under Section II IV. CASE ASSIGNMENT AND NATURE OF SUIT The assignment ofajudge to your case will depend on the category you select that best represents the primary cause ofaction found in yourcomplaint You may selectonly one category You must also select one corresponding nature of suit found under the category of case VI. CAUSE OF ACTION Cite the US Civil Statute under which you are filing and write a brief statement ofthe primary cause VIII. RELATED CASES, IF ANY Ifyou indicated that there is a related case, you must complete a related case form, which may be obtained fromthe Clerk's Office Because ofthe need for accurate and complete information, you should ensure the accuracy ofthe information provided priorto signing the form