Court Opinion

ID: 9600358
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:26:12.093792+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:09:03.246082
License: Public Domain

TALLMAN, Circuit Judge,
Concurring:
I write separately for two reasons. First, we do not today determine whether the facts of this case constitute the requisite “special circumstances.” This question remains in the discretion of the district judge on remand. As we have explained, we employ “a two-pronged test to determine whether special circumstances exist to justify denying attorney’s fees.” Am. Broad. Co. v. Miller, 550 F.3d 786, 788 (9th Cir.2008) (per curiam). This test requires a showing whether (1) “awarding the attorney’s fees would further the purposes” of the statute, and (2) “the balance of equities favors or disfavors the denial of fees.” Id. (citing Mendez v. County of San Bernardino, 540 F.3d 1109, 1126 (9th Cir.2008); Bauer v. Sampson, 261 F.3d 775, 785-86 (9th Cir.2001); Gilbrook v. City of Westminster, 177 F.3d 839, 878 (9th Cir.1999)). It is important that the district judge make findings of fact and conclusions of law showing what special circumstances exist in the case, and I emphasize that the standard of review for an award under this doctrine remains the traditional abuse of discretion standard. See id.; Jankey v. Poop Deck, 537 F.3d 1122, 1129 (9th Cir.2008).
Second, the policy implications of today’s holding concern me. Courts should not be interpreting attorney’s fee requirements in such a way as to discourage settlement. If today’s holding is read too literally, I believe there is a disincentive for parties in environmental litigation to negotiate a settlement.
Gem County was following the EPA’s policy that no NPDES permit was re*1065quired to apply pesticides in a manner consistent with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (“FI-FRA”), 7 U.S.C. §§ 136-136y. Gem County’s abatement procedures complied with FIFRA, allowing it to spray for mosquitoes potentially carrying the West Nile Virus and other diseases. Yet, Gem County still attempted to address Dill’s concerns regarding the effects on St. John’s Organic Farm from these abatement methods. As the district court noted, this is not a case where the defendant was required to possess a permit and blatantly failed to comply. Instead, Gem County was caught in a fight between the agency’s policy and Dill’s concerns while combating a public health risk. It made the prudent decision to terminate litigation by entering into a settlement agreement to cease its defense of the EPA policy. Continuing in court would have drained the limited resources of both parties, and it was still necessary for Gem County to continue its abatement efforts to reduce mosquito populations.
If our opinion leads ineluctably to the conclusion that no special circumstances can be established under this set of facts, I am not sure why a defendant would not “roll the dice” before a potentially sympathetic jury. This unfortunate result would deter otherwise desirable settlements to avoid costly and uncertain trials. Only time will tell whether the guidance we articulate in this opinion will truly further the congressional aims behind the Clean Water Act’s citizen attorney general provision. Congress is, of course, always free to clarify when attorney’s fees may appropriately be assessed in these types of cases.