San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority et al v. Salazar et al

Filing 1061

JOINT STIPULATION and ORDER Amending Schedule for Transmittal of Drafy Smelt Biological Opinion, signed by Judge Oliver W. Wanger on 9/30/201. (Kusamura, W)

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COUNSEL IDENTIFICATION ON FINAL PAGE

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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THE DELTA SMELT CASES
SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA
WATER AUTHORITY, et al. v.
SALAZAR, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-407)
STATE WATER CONTRACTORS v.
SALAZAR, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-422)
COALITION FOR A SUSTAINABLE
DELTA, et al. v. UNITED STATES FISH
AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, et al.
(Case No. 1:09-cv-480)
METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT v.
UNITED STATES FISH & WILDLIFE
SERVICE, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-631)
STEWART & JASPER ORCHARDS,
et al. v. UNITED STATES FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE, et al.
(Case No. 1:09-cv-892)

CASE NO. 1:09-cv-407-OWW-DLB
1:09-cv-422-OWW-DLB
1:09-cv-631-OWW-DLB
1:09-cv-892-OWW-GSA
PARTIALLY CONSOLIDATED WITH:
1:09-cv-480-OWW-GSA
1:09-cv-1201-OWW-DLB

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER
AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR
TRANSMITTAL OF DRAFT SMELT
BIOLOGICAL OPINION

Judge:

Honorable Oliver W. Wanger

FAMILY FARM ALLIANCE v.
SALAZAR, et al. (Case No. 09-cv-1201)

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-1JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

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RECITALS
1.

On May 19, 2011, this Court entered its Amended Judgment in these Delta Smelt

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Consolidated Cases requiring the United States Fish and Wildlife Service ("FWS") to "transmit to

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[the Bureau of] Reclamation by October 1, 2011 a draft delta smelt Biological Opinion (“BiOp”)

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consistent with the requirements of law." (Amended Judgment, Doc. 884 at 3:18-19.)

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2.

On September 20, 2011, the Court entered its Memorandum Decision re Cross

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Motions for Summary Judgment (Doc. 633) in the Consolidated Salmonid Cases, Case No. 1:09-

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cv-01053-OWW-DLB regarding the 2009 Salmonid Biological Opinion ("2009 Salmonid

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BiOp"). This decision found the 2009 Salmonid BiOp and its RPA arbitrary, capricious, and

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unlawful, and remanded the 2009 Salmonid BiOp to the National Marine Fisheries Service for

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further consideration in accordance with the Court’s decision and the requirements of law.

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3.

In light of the recent ruling in the Consolidated Salmonid Cases, described above,

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the United States Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”) must reevaluate the project description

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that will serve as the basis for the Section 7 consultation for the draft delta smelt BiOp.

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In light of the Court’s decision regarding the 2009 Salmonid BiOp, each of the

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undersigned parties agrees that the current deadline for completion of the draft delta smelt BiOp

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should be extended to enable Reclamation to reevaluate and potentially modify the current project

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description.

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5.

Furthermore, Federal Defendants and some of the parties have discussed greater

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participation in the consultation process for a new delta smelt BiOp. In order to fully explore

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whether discussions among the parties may result in a restructuring of the consultation process,

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and whether additional time may be required to complete a restructured consultation on the draft

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delta smelt BiOp, all parties believe that the modification below to the draft BiOp schedule is

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appropriate, and will be mutually beneficial.

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Good cause exists for the granting of the below requested schedule change for transmittal

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of the draft delta smelt BiOp, and the parties respectfully request that the date set by this Court be

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modified as shown below.

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-2JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

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STIPULATION

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Plaintiffs San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, Westlands Water District, State

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Water Contractors, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Coalition for a

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Sustainable Delta, Kern County Water Agency, Stewart & Jasper Orchards, Arroyo Farms, LLC,

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King Pistachio Grove, and Family Farm Alliance (“Plaintiffs”), Plaintiff-Intervenor California

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Department of Water Resources (“DWR”), Federal Defendants, and Defendant-Intervenors

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Natural Resources Defense Council and The Bay Institute, by and through their respective

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counsel, hereby stipulate and agree as follows:

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1. The October 1, 2011 deadline in the Amended Judgment for transmittal of the draft
delta smelt Biological Opinion is hereby vacated.

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2. By October 31, 2011, the parties shall file with the Court a written report, preferably a

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joint report, stating whether the parties have jointly agreed upon a revised completion date for the

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draft delta smelt BiOp.

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3. If there is not agreement among all parties on any completion date for the draft BiOp,
then the draft BiOp shall be transmitted no later than November 11, 2011.

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-3JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

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Dated: September 30, 2011

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H. CRAIG MANSON
Westlands Water District
DIEPENBROCK ELKIN, LLP
KRONICK, MOSKOVITZ, TIEDEMANN &
GIRARD
A Professional Corporation

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By : ______/s/
DANIEL J. O’HANLON
EILEEN M. DIEPENBROCK
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER
AUTHORITY and WESTLANDS WATER
DISTRICT

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Dated: September 30, 2011

BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK LLP

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By: ______/s/
STEVE O. SIMS
MICHELLE C. KALES
Attorneys for Plaintiff
WESTLANDS WATER DISTRICT

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Dated: September 30, 2011

BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP

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By: ______/s/
GREGORY K. WILKINSON
STEVEN M. ANDERSON
PAETER E. GARCIA
MELISSA R. CUSHMAN
Attorneys for Plaintiff
STATE WATER CONTRACTORS

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-4JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

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Dated: September 30, 2011

NOSSAMAN LLP

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By: ______/s/
ROBERT D. THORNTON
PAUL S. WEILAND
AUDREY HUANG
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
COALITION FOR A SUSTAINABLE DELTA
and KERN COUNTY WATER AGENCY

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Dated: September 30, 2011

MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP

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By: ______/s/
CHRISTOPHER J. CARR
WILLIAM M. SLOAN
Attorneys for Plaintiff
THE METROPOLITAN WATER
DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

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Dated: September 30, 2011

PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

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By: ______/s/
M. REED HOPPER
DAMIEN M. SCHIFF
BRANDON M. MIDDLETON
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
STEWART & JASPER ORCHARDS;
ARROYO FARMS, LLC; and KING
PISTACHIO GROVE

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Dated: September 30, 2011

THE BRENDA DAVIS LAW GROUP

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By: ______/s/
BRENDA W. DAVIS
LESLIE R. WAGLEY
Attorneys For Plaintiff
FAMILY FARM ALLIANCE

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-5JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

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Dated: September 30, 2011
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KAMALA D. HARRIS, ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
By: ______/s/
CLIFFORD T. LEE
CECILIA L. DENNIS
MICHAEL M. EDSON
ALLISON GOLDSMITH
Deputies Attorney General
Attorneys for Plaintiff-In-Intervention
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER
RESOURCES

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Dated: September 30, 2011
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IGNACIA S. MORENO, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY
GENERAL
United States Department of Justice, Environmental
& Natural Resources Division
SETH M. BARSKY, CHIEF

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By: ______/s/
S. JAY GOVINDAN
Wildlife & Marine Resources Section
Attorneys for FEDERAL DEFENDANTS

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Dated: September 30, 2011
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By: ______/s/
KATHERINE POOLE (SBN 195010)
DOUG OBEGI (SBN 246127)
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
111 Sutter St., 20th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

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Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenor
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
By: /s/
TRENT W. ORR (SBN 77656)
GEORGE M. TORGUN (SBN 222085)
EARTHJUSTICE
426 17th Street, 5th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

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Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenors
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL;
THE BAY INSTITUTE
-6JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP

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ORDER

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Based on the stipulation of the above parties, the Court hereby vacates the October 1,
2011 deadline in the Amended Judgment (Doc. 884), for transmittal of the draft delta smelt
Biological Opinion (“BiOp”). By October 31, 2011, the parties shall file with the Court a written
report, preferably a joint report, stating whether the parties have jointly agreed upon a revised
completion date for the draft delta smelt BiOp. If there is not agreement among all parties on any
completion date for the draft BiOp, then the draft BiOp shall be transmitted no later than
November 11, 2011.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

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Dated:

September 30, 2011

/s/ Oliver W. Wanger
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

DEAC_Signature-END:

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-1JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER AMENDING SCHEDULE FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT SMELT BIOP