Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe et al v. U.S. Department of the Interior et al

Filing 62

SCHEDULING ORDER re ECF No. #61 Stipulated Proposed Order : BLM will lodge the Administrative Record for the ESA Claims with the Court and provide an electronic copy to the Parties by August 5, 2022. (See pdf order for additional and subsequent deadlines.) Signed by Magistrate Judge Craig S. Denney on 8/2/2022. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - DRM)

Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 1 of 7

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Timothy A. Lukas, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 4678)
Sarah C. Bordelon, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 14683)
Erica K. Nannini, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 13922)
Holland & Hart LLP
5441 Kietzke Lane, Suite 200
Reno, NV 89511
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

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HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

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Laura R. Jacobsen, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 13699)
Ormat Technologies, Inc.
6140 Plumas Street
Reno, NV 89519
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Attorneys for Defendant
Ormat Nevada Inc.
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF NEVADA

THE FALLON PAIUTE-SHOSHONE TRIBE
16 and the CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY,
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Plaintiffs,
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v.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
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BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, JAKE
21 VIALPANDO in his official capacity as Field
Manager of the Bureau of Land Management
22 Stillwater Field Office, and ORMAT
NEVADA INC.,
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Defendants.
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Hadassah M. Reimer, Esq.
(Wyo. Bar No. 6-3825)
Admitted Pro Hac Vice
Holland & Hart LLP
P.O. Box 68
Jackson, WY 83001
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Case No. 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD

PARTIES’ JOINT STIPULATION ON
SCHEDULING ORDER

HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 2 of 7

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Plaintiffs Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe (“FPST”) and the Center for Biological Diversity

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(“CBD”), Federal Defendants U.S. Department of the Interior, et al. (“Federal Defendants”), and

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Defendant Ormat Nevada, Inc. (“Ormat”) (together, the “Parties”) have conferred and hereby

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jointly submit the following stipulation and scheduling proposal for the Court’s consideration.

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Plaintiffs filed this case on December 15, 2021, alleging that the Bureau of Land

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Management’s (“BLM”) approval of the Dixie Meadows Geothermal Utilization Project (the

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“Project”) violated the Administrative Procedure Act, National Environmental Policy Act,

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Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. ECF

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No. 1. Plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary injunction to stop Project construction (ECF No.

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13), and this Court granted the motion, but only for a period of 90 days (ECF No. 41). The

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Parties’ cross-appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed this Court’s

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decision. FPST v. DOI, Nos. 22-15092, 15093 (9th Cir. Aug. 1, 2022) (slip opinion).

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On April 7, 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS”) exercised its emergency

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listing authority under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) to list the Dixie Valley toad as

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endangered for a period of 240 days, triggering ESA Section 7 consultation obligations between

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BLM and the FWS for the Project. BLM and the FWS have begun informal consultation and are

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working toward completing formal consultation. Federal Defendants lodged the Administrative

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Record on April 29, 2022. On July 6, 2022, Plaintiffs filed their First Amended Complaint

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adding ESA claims under Section 7 regarding the project’s alleged impacts to the Dixie Valley

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toad and BLM’s consultation with FWS, and under Section 9 regarding BLM’s and Ormat’s

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alleged “take” of Dixie Valley toad during Project construction and operation (together, the

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“ESA Claims”). Ormat states that it is currently working collaboratively with BLM and FWS

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through the Section 7 consultation process, including discussion and identification of potential

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additional mitigation measures. In coordination with BLM and FWS and in an effort to support

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the Section 7 consultation process, Ormat has determined that it will temporarily pause

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construction of the Phase I power plant either until the FWS issues a Biological Opinion for the

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Project thereby concluding the Section 7 consultation process, or until December 31, 2022,

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whichever is sooner.
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Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 3 of 7

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In light of these developments, the Parties have agreed as follows:

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1.

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construction of the power plant facilities at the Dixie Meadows site.
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Plaintiffs will not file any motion for preliminary injunction or temporary

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restraining order regarding the Project unless they receive notice that Ormat

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intends to reinitiate construction.

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3.

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HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

Ormat will provide notice to the Parties at least 30 days prior to reinitiating

BLM will lodge the Administrative Record for the ESA Claims with the Court
and provide an electronic copy to the Parties by August 5, 2022.

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Plaintiffs and Ormat will have 14 days from the lodging of the Administrative

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Record on August 5, 2022 to: (1) identify and communicate to Federal

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Defendants any issues regarding completeness of the Administrative Record

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and/or any requests for the admission of extra-record evidence; and (2) provide

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Federal Defendants with copies of any materials they seek to include in the

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Administrative Record or admit as extra-record evidence.

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5.

Federal Defendants will respond to any issues raised by Plaintiffs or Ormat

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regarding the contents of the Administrative Record and the admission of extra

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record evidence no later than September 2, 2022. The Parties thereafter will

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attempt in good faith to resolve any issues that are raised. Any subsequent

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motions regarding the Administrative Record will be due on September 9, 2022.

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If Plaintiffs or Ormat file any motions regarding the Administrative Record, the

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Parties shall meet and confer for the purposes of agreeing upon a schedule for

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resolving those motions and briefing the Parties’ cross-motions for summary

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judgment. If no motions regarding the Administrative Record are filed, Plaintiffs’

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opening summary judgment brief will be due on September 9, 2022, and will be

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limited to 60 pages.

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If no Administrative Record motions are filed, the Federal Defendants’ and

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Ormat’s combined responses to Plaintiffs’ motions for summary judgment and

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opening briefs in support of their cross-motions for summary judgment will be
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Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 4 of 7
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due on October 7, 2022. Federal Defendants and Ormat shall each file a brief in

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support of their cross-motions for summary judgment and responding to

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Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. Federal Defendants’ brief and Ormat’s

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brief shall each be limited to 45 pages.

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8.

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reply in support of their summary judgment motion and in response to Federal

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Defendants’ and Ormat’s cross-motions for summary judgment, which will be

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due on October 28, 2022. Plaintiffs’ brief shall be limited to 60 pages.

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HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

If no Administrative Record motions are filed, Plaintiffs shall file a combined

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If no Administrative Record motions are filed, Federal Defendants’ and Ormat’s

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replies in support of their cross-motions for summary judgment will each be due

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on December 2, 2022, and each will be limited to 45 pages.

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10.

Plaintiffs do not waive any claims under the ESA or Religious Freedom

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Restoration Act (“RFRA”) which may not be resolved on summary judgment due

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to unresolved issues of material fact. Plaintiffs take the position that because the

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ESA and RFRA each provide their own cause of action, claims under these

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statutes are not limited in scope by the APA and thus may not be limited to the

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administrative record compiled by the agency. Federal Defendants’ take the

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position that ESA Claims are record-review claims governed by both the scope

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and standard of the APA that do not present any unresolved issues of material

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fact. Further, Federal Defendants and Ormat take the position that summary

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judgment and the briefing schedule set forth above can resolve all claims in

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Plaintiffs’ First Amended Complaint.1 .

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Federal Defendants also take the position that because Plaintiffs’ APA claims challenge a final
agency action, those claims in this case should be decided primarily based on the Administrative
Record compiled by Federal Defendants. However, should the Court find that the introduction
of extra-record evidence is appropriate, the Parties do not waive their right to seek discovery
regarding the RFRA and ESA claims.

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Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 5 of 7

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In light of the Parties’ commitment to the expedited briefing schedule outlined herein,

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and Ormat’s intention to suspend construction until either completion of the Section 7

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consultation process or the end of the year, the Parties respectfully request expedited review by

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the Court, with a decision on the merits before the end of 2022.

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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED this 1st day of August, 2022.

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HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

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By: Timothy A. Lukas, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 4678)
Sarah C. Bordelon, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 14683)
Erica K. Nannini, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 13922)
Holland & Hart LLP
5441 Kietzke Lane, Suite 200
Reno, NV 89511
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

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/s/ Hadassah Reimer
Hadassah M. Reimer, Esq.
(Wyo. Bar No. 6-3825)
Holland & Hart LLP
P.O. Box 68
Jackson, WY 83001
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

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Laura R. Jacobsen, Esq.
(Nevada Bar No. 13699)
Ormat Technologies, Inc.
6140 Plumas Street
Reno, NV 89519
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

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Attorneys for Defendant-Intervenor
Ormat Nevada Inc.

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Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 6 of 7

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Gordon H. De Paoli
Woodburn and Wedge
PO Box 2311
Reno, NV 89505
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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/s/ Wyatt Golding
Wyatt Golding
Ziontz Chestnut
2101 4th Avenue Suite 1230
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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/s/ Scott Lake
Scott Lake
Center for Biological Diversity
P. O. Box 6205
Reno, NV 89513
Phone [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

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Attorneys for Plaintiffs/Appellees - Fallon
Paiute-Shoshone Tribe and Center for
Biological Diversity

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Sara E. Costello
U.S. Department of Justice
Environment and Natural Resources Division
PO Box 7611
Washington, D.C. 20044-7611
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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/s/ Esosa Rachael Aimufua
Esosa Rachael Aimufua
U.S. Department of Justice
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Natural Resources Section
150 M. Street, NE, Third Floor
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Case 3:21-cv-00512-RCJ-CSD Document 62 Filed 08/02/22 Page 7 of 7

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Kamela A. Caschette
U.S. Department of Justice
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Wildlife and Marine Resources Section
150 M. Street, NE, Third Floor
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Holly A. Vance
U.S. Attorney’s Office
400 S. Virginia Street, Suite 900
Reno, NV 89501
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Attorneys for Defendants/Appellants - U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land
Management, and Jake Vialpando in his
official capacity as Field Manager of the
Bureau of Land Management Stillwater Field
Office

HOLLAND & HART LLP
5441 KIETZKE LANE, SUITE 200
RENO, NV 89511-2094

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

17 DATED: August 2, 2022.
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UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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