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

Filing 771

JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES signed by District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on March 19, 2015. (Munoz, I)

1 COUNSEL IDENTIFICATION ON FOLLOWING PAGE
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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9 CONSOLIDATED SALMON CASES

CASE NOS.

10 SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER
AUTHORITY, et al. v. GARY. F. LOCKE, et
11 al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-1053),

1:09-cv-1053-LJO-BAM
1:09-cv-1090-LJO-DLB
1:09-cv-1378-LJO-DLB
1:09-cv-1520-LJO-DLB
1:09-cv-1580-LJO-DLB
1:09-cv-1625-LJO-DLB

12 STOCKTON EAST WATER DISTRICT v.
NOAA, et al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-1090),
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STATE WATER CONTRACTORS v.
14 GARY F. LOCKE, et al.
(Case No. 1:09-cv-1378)
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KERN COUNTY WATER AGENCY, et al. v.
16 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, et al.
(Case No. 1:09-cv-1520)
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OAKDALE IRRIGATION DISTRICT, et al.
18 v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, et
al. (Case No. 1:09-cv-1580),
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METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF
20 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA v. NMFS, et al.
(Case No. 1:09-cv-1625),
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JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER
REGARDING MOTIONS FOR
ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER
EXPENSES
Judge:

Hon. Lawrence J. O’Neill

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1221859.2 10355-025

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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

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IDENTIFICATION OF COUNSEL

2 DANIEL J. O’HANLON (SBN 122380)
HANSPETER WALTER (SBN 244847)
3 REBECCA R. AKROYD (SBN 267305)
ELIZABETH L. LEEPER (SBN 280451)
4 KRONICK, MOSKOVITZ, TIEDEMANN
& GIRARD
5 400 Capitol Mall, 27th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
6 Telephone:
[phone]
Facsimile:
[phone]
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EILEEN M. DIEPENBROCK (SBN 119254)
8 DAVID A. DIEPENBROCK (SBN 215679)
JONATHAN R. MARZ (SBN 221188)
9 DIEPENBROCK ELKIN, LLP
500 Capitol Mall, Suite 2200
10 Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone:
[phone]
11 Facsimile:
[phone]

BRADLEY H. OLIPHANT (SBN 216468)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Wildlife and Marine Resources Section
999 18th St., South Terrace, Ste. 370
Denver, CO 80211
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

WILLIAM J. SHAPIRO (CO State Bar 030929)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
501 I Street, Ste. 9-700
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

12 Attorneys for Plaintiffs
SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER
13 AUTHORITY
14 STEVEN M. ANDERSON (SBN 186700)
STEVEN G. MARTIN (SBN 263394)
15 BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP
3390 University Avenue, 5th Floor
16 P. O. Box 1028
Riverside, CA 92502
17 Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
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Attorneys for Plaintiff
19 STATE WATER CONTRACTORS
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Attorneys for FEDERAL DEFENDANTS

WILLIAM C. PARIS, III (SBN 168712)
TIMOTHY P. O’LAUGHLIN (SBN 116807)
O’LAUGHLIN & PARIS LLP
P.O. Box 9259
Chico, CA 95927
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
OAKDALE IRRIGATION DISTRICT and
SOUTH SAN JOAQUIN IRRIGATION
DISTRICT

KARNA E. HARRIGFELD (SBN 162824)
JEANNE M. ZOLEZZI (SBN 121282)
ALEXIS KEANE STEVENS (SBN 260756)
HERUM\CRABTREE\SUNTAG
5757 Pacific Avenue, Suite 222
Stockton, CA 95207
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]

Attorneys for Plaintiff
26 STOCKTON EAST WATER DISTRICT
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1221859.2 10355-025

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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

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To facilitate settlement discussions regarding claims for attorneys’ fees and other expenses

2 in this case by Plaintiffs San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, State Water Contractors,
3 Stockton East Water District, Oakdale Irrigation District, and South San Joaquin Irrigation District
4 (collectively, “Plaintiffs”), the Plaintiffs and Defendants Sally Jewell, Secretary of Interior, et al.
5 (“Federal Defendants”) jointly move this Court to stay briefing on the Plaintiffs’ motions for
6 recovery of attorneys’ fees and other expenses for 180 days. In support of this motion, the
7 Plaintiffs and Federal Defendants stipulate as follows:
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1.

The Court entered Final Judgment in this consolidated action on December 12,

9 2011. Doc. 655. The Final Judgment ordered that the parties “meet and confer regarding any
10 request by Plaintiffs, or any of them, and/or DWR for recovery of attorneys’ fees and/or costs.
11 Any motion for recovery of attorneys’ fees and/or costs shall be filed on or before March 1, 2012.”
12 Id. On February 22, 2012 a Stipulation and Order Re Motion For Attorneys’ Fees and/or Costs
13 was filed, which extended the time for filing any motion for recovery of attorneys’ fees and/or
14 costs (“Fee Motion”) beyond the date specified in the Final Judgment. Doc. 688. The Stipulation
15 and Order provides that “[a]ny Fee Motion shall be filed by Plaintiffs, or by any of them, and/or
16 by DWR no later than 90 days following the entry of a final order disposing of all appeals and
17 cross-appeals in the above-captioned Consolidated Salmon Cases.” Id. The Ninth Circuit Court
18 of Appeals issued its opinion on the appeals and cross-appeal for the Consolidated Salmon Cases
19 on December 22, 2014. Doc. 761; San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Auth. v. Locke, No. 1220 15144, 2014 WL 7240003 (9th Cir. Dec. 22, 2014).
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2.

Concurrently with this joint motion and stipulation, the Plaintiffs have filed

22 separate motions for recovery of attorneys’ fees and other expenses for this litigation, under the
23 Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412, based on the Plaintiffs’ successful National
24 Environmental Policy Act claims. Discussions regarding the Plaintiffs’ requests are ongoing, and
25 the Plaintiffs and Federal Defendants seek additional time to attempt to settle the Plaintiffs’ claims
26 without unnecessarily burdening the Court. The Plaintiffs and Federal Defendants agree that
27 briefing and argument on the Plaintiffs’ claims for fees and other expenses may be unnecessary in
28 light of the parties’ intent to attempt to settle the Plaintiffs’ claims.
1221859.2 10355-025

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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

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3.

Accordingly, the Plaintiffs and Federal Defendants agree that further proceedings

2 on the Plaintiffs’ motions for recovery of fees and other expenses, including the filing of further
3 memoranda and evidentiary and other materials supporting those motions, and any oppositions
4 thereafter, should be stayed for 180 days to allow for settlement discussions.
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4.

At the conclusion of 180 days, the Plaintiffs and Federal Defendants will apprise

6 the Court of any settlement or further requested action, or jointly propose a briefing schedule to
7 address the Plaintiffs’ motions for fees and other expenses if there has been no complete
8 settlement. That schedule will provide for the Plaintiffs to supplement their motions for recovery
9 of attorneys’ fees and other expenses with documentation of all time and expenses sought,
10 including the additional time spent in seeking fees, opposition by the Federal Defendants, and
11 reply by the Plaintiffs, with a hearing for each motion if the Court deems hearings necessary.
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Based on the joint stipulation set forth above, the parties respectfully request that this

13 Court stay briefing and argument on the Plaintiffs’ concurrently filed motions for recovery of
14 attorneys’ fees and other expenses for 180 days from the date of the Court’s order granting such
15 stay, in the manner provided above.
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Respectfully submitted this 19th day of March, 2015.

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18 Dated: March 19, 2015
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DIEPENBROCK ELKIN, LLP
A Professional Corporation
KRONICK, MOSKOVITZ, TIEDEMANN & GIRARD
A Professional Corporation
By:

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/s/ Daniel J. O’Hanlon
Daniel J. O’Hanlon
Eileen M. Diepenbrock
Attorneys for Plaintiffs,
SAN LUIS & DELTA-MENDOTA WATER
AUTHORITY and WESTLANDS WATER
DISTRICT

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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES

1 Dated: March 19, 2015

BEST BEST & KRIEGER, LLP

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By:

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/s/ Steven M. Anderson
Steven M. Anderson
Attorneys for Plaintiff,
STATE WATER CONTRACTORS

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Dated: March 19, 2015

HERUM\CRABTREE\SUNTAG
By:

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Dated: March 19, 2015

O’LAUGHLIN & PARIS, LLP
By:

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15 Dated: March 19, 2015
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/s/ William C. Paris, III
William C. Paris, III
Attorneys for Plaintiffs,
OAKDALE IRRIGATION DISTRICT and
SOUTH SAN JOAQUIN IRRIGATION
DISTRICT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Environmental & Natural Resources Division
By:

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/s/ Karna E. Harrigfeld
Karna E. Harrigfeld
Attorneys for Plaintiff,
STOCKTON EAST WATER DISTRICT

/s/ William Shapiro
William Shapiro, Trial Attorney
Attorneys for FEDERAL DEFENDANTS

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21 SO ORDERED
22 Dated: March 19, 2015
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/s/ Lawrence J. O’Neill
United States District Judge

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STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING MOTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES