Opinion ID: 736846
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Dismissal of NFRC's Claims in the District of Columbia

Text: 11 In February 1995, following Judge Dwyer's decision, NFRC filed an amended complaint in NFRC v. Dombeck in the District Court of the District of Columbia, adding 2 new plaintiffs and 14 new claims, including another request for an injunction based on the FACA violations by the FEMAT. See NFRC v. Dombeck, Civ. No. 94-1031 (D.D.C. Feb. 28, 1995), reprinted in J.A. 153. NFRC also moved to lift the stay in the NFRC v. Dombeck case. On May 22, 1996, after the Ninth Circuit had affirmed Judge Dwyer's decision upholding the new Plan, see Seattle Audubon Soc'y v. Moseley, 80 F.3d at 1406, the District Court held a status conference in Dombeck and O & C Counties. At the status conference, the District Court declined to rule on whether the Lyons litigation in the Western District of Washington barred NFRC's claims by virtue of claim preclusion and issue preclusion. The District Court instead found that on the basis of stare decisis ... the issues [raised by NFRC et al.] have been resolved by the decisions of Judge Dwyer in the Ninth Circuit. Northwest Forest v. Secretary of Agriculture, Civ. No. 93-1621 (D.D.C. May 22, 1996) (trans.), reprinted in J.A. 247. The District Court then dismissed NFRC's and the counties' claims with prejudice. The counties settled their claims, leaving this court to decide only whether the District Court correctly dismissed NFRC's claims.