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Case TitleEcological Rights Foundation v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
DistrictNorthern District of California
CityOakland
Case Number4:2020cv06898
Date Filed2020-10-02
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeMagistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu
PlaintiffEcological Rights Foundation a non-profit corporation
Case DescriptionThe Ecological Rights Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the EPA for records concerning a 2019 memo issued by the Department of Justice abandoning a long-time policy of using supplemental environmental projects (SEP), as part of environmental violation settlements. Previously, SEPs required violators to complete environmental projects agreed to by state or local government. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told EcoRights that it would begin processing its request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, EcoRights filed suit, alleging the EPA had a pattern or practice of failing to respond to FOIA requests within the statutory time limit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-10-021COMPLAINT against U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( Filing fee $ 400, receipt number 0971-15018335.). Filed byEcological Rights Foundation. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(Sproul, Christopher) (Filed on 10/2/2020) (Entered: 10/02/2020)
2020-10-022Certificate of Interested Entities by Ecological Rights Foundation (Sproul, Christopher) (Filed on 10/2/2020) (Entered: 10/02/2020)
2020-10-023Proposed Summons. (Attachments: # 1 Summons Proposed Summons, # 2 Summons Proposed Summons)(Sproul, Christopher) (Filed on 10/2/2020) (Entered: 10/02/2020)
2020-10-054Case assigned to Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. Counsel for plaintiff or the removing party is responsible for serving the Complaint or Notice of Removal, Summons and the assigned judge's standing orders and all other new case documents upon the opposing parties. For information, visit E-Filing A New Civil Case at http://cand.uscourts.gov/ecf/caseopening. Standing orders can be downloaded from the court's web page at www.cand.uscourts.gov/judges. Upon receipt, the summons will be issued and returned electronically. Counsel is required to send chambers a copy of the initiating documents pursuant to L.R. 5-1(e)(7). A scheduling order will be sent by Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) within two business days. Consent/Declination due by 10/19/2020. (mbcS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/5/2020) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-10-065Summons Issued as to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (cjlS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/6/2020) (Entered: 10/06/2020)
2020-10-066Initial Case Management Scheduling Order with ADR Deadlines: Case Management Statement due by 12/30/2020. Initial Case Management Conference set for 1/6/2021 01:30 PM in Oakland, Courtroom 4, 3rd Floor. (cjlS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/6/2020) (Entered: 10/06/2020)
2020-10-097CONSENT/DECLINATION to Proceed Before a US Magistrate Judge by Ecological Rights Foundation.. (Wilcox, Stuart) (Filed on 10/9/2020) (Entered: 10/09/2020)
2020-10-098CLERK'S NOTICE OF IMPENDING REASSIGNMENT TO A U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Clerk of this Court will now randomly reassign this case to a District Judge because either (1) a party has not consented to the jurisdiction of a Magistrate Judge, or (2) time is of the essence in deciding a pending judicial action for which the necessary consents to Magistrate Judge jurisdiction have not been secured. You will be informed by separate notice of the district judge to whom this case is reassigned. ALL HEARING DATES PRESENTLY SCHEDULED BEFORE THE CURRENT MAGISTRATE JUDGE ARE VACATED AND SHOULD BE RE-NOTICED FOR HEARING BEFORE THE JUDGE TO WHOM THIS CASE IS REASSIGNED. This is a text only docket entry; there is no document associated with this notice. (ig, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/9/2020) (Entered: 10/09/2020)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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