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Case TitleNORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2017cv02019
Date Filed2017-09-29
Date Closed2019-07-11
JudgeJudge Royce C. Lamberth
PlaintiffNORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES an Oregon non-profit corporation
Case DescriptionNorthwest Environmental Advocates submitted a FOIA request to the Department of the Interior for records concerning Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act as it applied to 19 specified revisions to California 's water standards submitted by the state for EPA approval under the Clean Water Act. The agency produced only three documents. NWEA filed an administrative appeal of the agency's search and production of records. NWEA also submitted a second FOIA request asking for the number of appeals pending at the Office of Solicitor. After the agency failed to respond to either NWEA's appeal or its second request, NWEA filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR an agency of the United States of America
DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2017-09-291COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5139338) filed by NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES. (Attachments: # 1 Summons Department of Interior Summons-proposed, # 2 Summons AG Summons-proposed, # 3 Summons for US Atty (Proposed), # 4 Civil Cover Sheet Civil Cover Sheet)(Bahr, David) (Entered: 09/29/2017)
2017-09-292Corporate Disclosure Statement by NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES. (Bahr, David) (Entered: 09/29/2017)
2017-10-02Case Assigned to Judge Royce C. Lamberth. (zsb) (Entered: 10/02/2017)
2017-10-023SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Consent Form)(zsb) (Entered: 10/02/2017)
2017-10-124NOTICE of Appearance by Nina Catherine Robertson on behalf of NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES (Robertson, Nina) (Main Document 4 replaced on 10/13/2017) (znmw). (Entered: 10/12/2017)
2017-11-275NOTICE of Appearance by Marsha Wellknown Yee on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/27/2017)
2017-11-276ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/27/2017)
2017-12-227ORDER directing the government to produce Vaughn Index with a supporting motion to dismiss or motion for summary judgment by 1/22/2018. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 12/22/17. (lsj) (Entered: 12/22/2017)
2018-01-198MOTION for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Dispositive Motion by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 01/19/2018)
2018-02-029ORDER granting 8 Motion for Extension of Time to File. Defendant's Dispositive Motions and Vaughn Index due by 3/14/2018. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 1/31/18. (lsj) (Entered: 02/02/2018)
2018-03-0110MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Lia Comerford, :Firm- Earthrise Law Center, :Address- Lewis & Clark Law School, 10015 SW Terwilliger Blvd., Portland OR 97219-7799. Phone No. - 503-768-6823. Fax No. - N/A Filing fee $ 100, receipt number 0090-5355913. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Declaration of Lia Comerford in Support of Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice, # 2 Text of Proposed Order in Support of Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice)(Bahr, David) (Entered: 03/01/2018)
2018-03-0511NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES. Attorney Nina Catherine Robertson terminated. (Robertson, Nina) (Entered: 03/05/2018)
2018-03-1312Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Dispositive Motion and Proposed Briefing Schedule by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 03/13/2018)
2018-03-2013ORDER granting 10 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 3/19/18. (lsj) (Entered: 03/20/2018)
2018-03-2014ORDER granting 12 Motion for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Dispositive Motion and adopts the Proposed Briefing Schedule. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 3/19/18. (lsj) (Entered: 03/20/2018)
2018-07-1815Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Dispositive Motion and Revised Proposed Briefing Schedule by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-08-0816VACATED PURSUANT TO ORDER 18 ......ORDER granting 15 Motion for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Dispositive Motion and Revised Proposed Briefing Scheduled. Summary Judgment motions and Vaughn index due by 10/11/2018. Response to and Cross Motion for Summary Judgment due by 11/9/2018. Reply to and Motion for Summary Judgment due by 12/7/2018. Plaintiff's Replies due by 1/4/2019. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 8/7/18. (lsj) Modified on 10/18/2018 (zlsj). (Entered: 08/08/2018)
2018-10-1017Unopposed MOTION to Vacate Briefing Schedule by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 10/10/2018)
2018-10-1618ORDER granting 17 Motion to Vacate; unless a stipulation of dismissal is filed on or before 11/27/2018, joint status report due by 11/27/2018. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 10/16/2018. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 10/16/2018)
2018-11-2719Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/27/2018)
2019-01-0420Unopposed MOTION to Stay , MOTION for Extension of Time to in Light of Lapse of Appropriations by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hudak, Brian) (Entered: 01/04/2019)
2019-01-1621ORDER granting 20 Motion to Stay. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 1/16/2019. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 01/16/2019)
2019-02-0122STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 02/01/2019)
2019-04-1523ORDER vacating the Court's stay order of January 16, 2019 21 and ordering the parties to file a joint status report within 10 days of this date. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 4/15/2019. (lcrcl1) (Entered: 04/15/2019)
2019-04-2524Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-05-02MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another joint status report on or before May 30, 2019. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 5/2/2019. (lcrcl1) (Entered: 05/02/2019)
2019-05-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/30/2019 (lsj) (Entered: 05/03/2019)
2019-05-3025Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 05/30/2019)
2019-07-1126STIPULATION of Settlement and Dismissal With Prejudice by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 07/11/2019)
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