Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations v. United States Department of the Interior

Good Law

996 F. Supp. 2d 887·2014 WL 496906·2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15072

United States District Court, Eastern District of CaliforniaFebruary 6, 2014Case No. 1:12-CV-01303-LJO-MJSCalifornia11,801 words

Opinion

lead Opinion

Lawrenceneill, J.

MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER RE CROSS MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (DOCS. 68, 75, 78)

I. INTRODUCTION

This case concerns approval by the United States Department of the Interior and its member agency the United States Bureau of Reclamation (collectively, “Federal Defendants,” “Reclamation,” or the “Bureau”) of eight (8) interim renewal contracts (“Interim Contracts”) which authorize delivery of water from federal reclamation facilities to certain water districts served by the federal Central Valley Project (“CVP”) and provide for repayment of capital construction costs, as well as operational and maintenance expenses associated with CVP facilities. First Amended Complaint (“FAC”), Doc. 47 at ¶ 2. Plaintiffs’ remaining claim alleges that Federal Defendants’ issued a deficient Environmental Assessment (“EA”) and associated Finding of No Significant Impact (“FON-SI”) prior to approval of the Interim Contracts, in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”), 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.

Before the Court for decision are cross motions for summary judgment filed by all parties. Plaintiffs filed their motion for summary judgment on September 6, 2013. Doc. 68. On October…

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Parties

PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S ASSOCIATIONS and San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association, Inc.
Plaintiff
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF the INTERIOR and United States Bureau of Reclamation, and Westlands Water District, San Luis Water District, and Panoche Water District, Intervenor-
Defendant

Judges

Lawrence
Neill

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<em>Duvall, 777 </em>F.Supp. at 1539