This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to revise provisions governing citizen suits against the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, that allege a failure of the relevant department to perform an act or duty related to an endangered species or threatened species. Interior must publish the complaint in a citizen suit within 30 days of being served. Affected parties shall be given a reasonable opportunity to intervene in the suit. If affected parties intervene, the court must refer the action to a mediation program or magistrate judge to facilitate settlement discussions.
The court is prohibited from: (1) awarding litigation costs in a citizen suit that is settled by a consent decree, or (2) awarding litigation costs to a plaintiff in a citizen suit that is settled.
Interior must provide notice of a proposed settlement to each state or county in which an affected species occurs. A settlement can only be approved if states or counties approve the settlement or fail to respond.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 585 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 585
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to establish a procedure
for approval of certain settlements.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2015
Mr. Flores (for himself, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Gosar,
Mr. Olson, Mr. Pearce, and Mr. Thornberry) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in
addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to establish a procedure
for approval of certain settlements.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.
Section 3 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1532) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating--
(A) paragraphs (1) through (4) as paragraphs (2)
through (5), respectively;
(B) paragraphs (5) through (10) as paragraphs (7)
through (12), respectively; and
(C) paragraphs (12) through (21) as paragraphs (13)
through (22), respectively;
(2) by adding before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the
following:
``(1) Affected parties.--The term `affected party' means
any person, including a business entity, or any State, tribal
government, or local subdivision the rights of which may be
affected by a determination made under section 4(a) in a suit
brought under section 11(g)(1)(C).''; and
(3) by adding after paragraph (5) (as so redesignated) the
following:
``(6) Covered settlement.--The term `covered settlement'
means a consent decree or a settlement agreement in an action
brought under section 11(g)(1)(C).''.
SEC. 2. INTERVENTION; APPROVAL OF COVERED SETTLEMENT.
Section 11(g) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1540) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following:
``(C) Publishing complaint; intervention.--
``(i) Publishing complaint.--
``(I) In general.--Not later than
30 days after the date on which the
plaintiff serves the defendant with the
complaint in an action brought under
paragraph (1)(C) in accordance with
Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, the Secretary of the
Interior shall publish the complaint in
a readily accessible manner, including
electronically.
``(II) Failure to meet deadline.--
The failure of the Secretary to meet
the 30-day deadline described in
subclause (I) shall not be the basis
for an action under paragraph (1)(C).
``(ii) Motion to intervene.--
``(I) In general.--After the end of
the 30-day period described in clause
(i), each affected party shall be given
a reasonable opportunity to move to
intervene in the action described in
clause (i), until the end of which a
party may not file a motion for a
consent decree or to dismiss the case
pursuant to a settlement agreement.
``(II) Rebuttable presumption.--In
considering a motion to intervene by
any affected party, the court shall
presume, subject to rebuttal, that the
interests of that party would not be
represented adequately by the parties
to the action described in clause (i).
``(iii) Referral to alternative dispute
resolution.--If the court grants a motion to
intervene in the action, the court shall refer
the action to facilitate settlement discussions
to--
``(I) the mediation program of the
court; or
``(II) a magistrate judge.
``(iv) Parties included in settlement
discussions.--The settlement discussions
described in clause (i) shall include each
plaintiff, defendant agency, and intervenor.'';
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
``(4) Litigation costs.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), the court, in issuing any final order
in any suit brought under paragraph (1), may award
costs of litigation (including reasonable attorney and
expert witness fees) to any party, whenever the court
determines such award is appropriate.
``(B) Covered settlement.--
``(i) Consent decrees.--The court shall not
award costs of litigation in any proposed
covered settlement that is a consent decree.
``(ii) Other covered settlements.--
``(I) In general.--For a proposed
covered settlement other than a consent
decree, the court shall ensure that the
covered settlement does not include
payment to any plaintiff for the costs
of litigation.
``(II) Motions.--The court shall
not grant any motion, including a
motion to dismiss, based on the
proposed covered settlement described
in subclause (I) if the covered
settlement includes payment to any
plaintiff for the costs of
litigation.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Approval of covered settlement.--
``(A) Definition of species.--In this paragraph,
the term `species' means a species that is the subject
of an action brought under paragraph (1)(C).
``(B) In general.--
``(i) Consent decrees.--The court shall not
approve a proposed covered settlement that is a
consent decree unless each State and county in
which the Secretary of the Interior believes a
species occurs approves the covered settlement.
``(ii) Other covered settlements.--
``(I) In general.--For a proposed
covered settlement other than a consent
decree, the court shall ensure that the
covered settlement is approved by each
State and county in which the Secretary
of the Interior believes a species
occurs.
``(II) Motions.--The court shall
not grant any motion, including a
motion to dismiss, based on the
proposed covered settlement described
in subclause (I) unless the covered
settlement is approved by each State
and county in which the Secretary of
the Interior believes a species occurs.
``(C) Notice.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary of the
Interior shall provide each State and county in
which the Secretary of the Interior believes a
species occurs notice of a proposed covered
settlement.
``(ii) Determination of relevant states and
counties.--The defendant in a covered
settlement shall consult with each State
described in clause (i) to determine each
county in which the Secretary of the Interior
believes a species occurs.
``(D) Failure to respond.--The court may approve a
covered settlement or grant a motion described in
subparagraph (B)(ii)(II) if, not later than 45 days
after the date on which a State or county is notified
under subparagraph (C)--
``(i)(I) a State or county fails to
respond; and
``(II) of the States or counties that
respond, each State or county approves the
covered settlement; or
``(ii) all of the States and counties fail
to respond.
``(E) Proof of approval.--The defendant in a
covered settlement shall prove any State or county
approval described in this paragraph in a form--
``(i) acceptable to the State or county, as
applicable; and
``(ii) signed by the State or county
official authorized to approve the covered
settlement.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
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