Westlands Water Dist. v. US Dept. of Interior

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER RE: DEFENDANTS AND DEFENDANTS-IN-INTERVENTION MOTIONS TO DISMISS

I.INTRODUCTION

This case is before the court on motions of the Defendants, U.S.A., Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, Roland H. Brown, Secretary of Commerce, and Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior (“Federal Defendants”) and Defendants-in-Intervention, the National Resources Defense Council, United Anglers of California, Save San Francisco Bay Association, California Waterfowl Association, Sierra Club, Bay Institute of San Francisco, Environmental Defense Fund, California Striped Bass Association, Trout Unlimited of California, Sacramento River Council, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, and Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association, who represent environmental interests (the “Environmental Intervenors”), to dismiss the complaints of plaintiffs Westlands Water District, San Benito Water District, San Luis Water District and Panoche Water District (collectively “Westlands”); and Plaintiffs-in-Intervention Kern County Water Agency; the Friant Users Water Users Authority; The San…