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Case TitleWILDEARTH GUARDIANS v. OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2015cv00323
Date Filed2015-03-04
Date Closed2015-09-22
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffWILDEARTH GUARDIANS
Case DescriptionWildlife Guardians submitted a FOIA request to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for records concerning the agency's decision to deny Wildlife Guardians' rulemaking petition to promulgate regulations providing protection for greater sage grouse and its habitat from the effects of coal mining. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but after it failed to respond, Wildlife Guardians filed an administrative appeal. The agency acknowledged receipt of the appeal, but told Wildlife Guardians that it would not be able to respond within the statutory time limit. Wildlife Guardians then filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantOFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2015-03-041COMPLAINT against OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4012758) filed by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons)(Ruscavage-Barz, Samantha) (Entered: 03/04/2015)
2015-03-042Corporate Disclosure Statement by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS. (Ruscavage-Barz, Samantha) (Entered: 03/04/2015)
2015-03-04Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (sth, ) (Entered: 03/06/2015)
2015-03-063SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Summons)(sth, ) (Entered: 03/06/2015)
2015-03-114REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE U.S. Attorney by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS filed by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS.(Ruscavage-Barz, Samantha) (Entered: 03/11/2015)
2015-03-115REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE U.S. Attorney General by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS filed by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS.(Ruscavage-Barz, Samantha) (Entered: 03/11/2015)
2015-03-126SUMMONS (2) Issued Electronically as to U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (znmw, ) (Entered: 03/12/2015)
2015-03-277NOTICE of Appearance by Andrea McBarnette on behalf of All Defendants (McBarnette, Andrea) (Entered: 03/27/2015)
2015-03-298RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/17/2015. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/16/2015. (Ruscavage-Barz, Samantha) (Entered: 03/29/2015)
2015-04-169Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(McBarnette, Andrea) (Entered: 04/16/2015)
2015-04-20MINUTE ORDER granting 9 Defendant's Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's response to the complaint shall be filed on or before April 30, 2015. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 04/20/2015. (lcrc2) (Entered: 04/20/2015)
2015-04-3010ANSWER to Complaint by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT.(McBarnette, Andrea) (Entered: 04/30/2015)
2015-05-01MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and submit a proposed briefing schedule on or before May 15, 2015. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 05/01/2015. (lcrc2) (Entered: 05/01/2015)
2015-05-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 5/15/2015 (tj ) (Entered: 05/07/2015)
2015-05-1511NOTICE of Proposed Joint Briefing Schedule by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 05/15/2015)
2015-05-15MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 11 the parties' Proposed Joint Briefing Schedule, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant will provide to Plaintiff the records it is releasing in response to Plaintiff's Freedom of Information Act request, together with a Vaughn index, by June 19, 2015; Defendant will file its motion for summary judgment by July 20, 2015; Plaintiff will file its opposition to Defendant's motion for summary judgment by August 20, 2015; and Defendant will file its reply memorandum in support of its motion for summary judgment by September 2, 2015. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 05/15/2015. (lcrc2) (Entered: 05/15/2015)
2015-05-1912NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Fred Elmore Haynes on behalf of OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT Substituting for attorney Andrea McBarnette (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 05/19/2015)
2015-05-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Summary Judgment motions due by 7/20/2015. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 8/20/2015. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 9/2/2015. Vaughn Index due by 6/19/2015, (tj ) (Entered: 05/21/2015)
2015-06-1913Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to extend deadlines in briefing schedule by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Whitaker, Claire) (Entered: 06/19/2015)
2015-06-19MINUTE ORDER granting 13 Defendant's Consent Motion for Extension of Time: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant will provide to Plaintiff the records it is releasing in response to Plaintiff's Freedom of Information Act request, together with a Vaughn index, by July 20, 2015; Defendant will file its motion for summary judgment by August 20, 2015; Plaintiff will file its opposition to Defendant's motion by September 21, 2015; and Defendant will file its reply memorandum by October 5, 2015. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 06/19/2015. (lcrc2) (Entered: 06/19/2015)
2015-06-22NOTICE OF ERROR re 13 Motion for Extension of Time to; emailed to claire.whitaker@usdoj.gov, cc'd 3 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Invalid attorney signature, 2. In future, ECF login must match signature on document. (znmw, ) (Entered: 06/22/2015)
2015-06-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Summary Judgment motions due by 8/20/2015. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 9/21/2015. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 10/5/2015. Vaughn Index due by 7/20/2015, (tj) (Entered: 06/23/2015)
2015-08-1714Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 08/17/2015)
2015-08-17MINUTE ORDER granting 14 Defendant's Consent Motion for Extension of Time to File: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's motion for summary judgment shall be due on or before September 14, 2015. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 08/17/2015. (lcrc2) (Entered: 08/17/2015)
2015-08-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Summary Judgment motions due by 9/14/2015. (tj) (Entered: 08/19/2015)
2015-09-1415Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 09/14/2015)
2015-09-14MINUTE ORDER granting 15 Defendant's Consent Motion for Extension of Time to File: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant shall file its motion for summary judgment on or before September 21, 2015. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 9/14/2015. (lcrc2) (Entered: 09/14/2015)
2015-09-2116STIPULATION of Dismissal by Authorization of Plaintiff by OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT. (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 09/21/2015)
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