Endangered Species

          Many of the firm’s cases involve threats to species listed as endangered or threatened under the federal or state endangered species acts.  Therefore, the firm has substantial experience working with wildlife and fish biologists, hydrologists and soil scientists, and other resource consultants in developing evidence to demonstrate the impact of development projects on these species.  In addition, the firm has prosecuted a number of cases in federal court under the federal Endangered Species Act.

          From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Lippe represented the Environmental Protection Information Center against Pacific Lumber Company and the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service in a federal court action to enforce the federal Endangered Species Act.  Mr. Lippe obtained a preliminary injunction that prohibited Pacific Lumber from logging in the Headwaters Grove in the Headwaters Forest in Humboldt County.  The federal and state governments later acquired this grove as the centerpiece of the Headwaters Forest Preserve.  This litigation resulted in two published decisions:  Marbled Murrelet v. Babbitt, 83 F.3d 1068 (9th Cir. 1996); and Marbled Murrelet v. Babbitt, 111 F.3d 1447 (9th Cir. 1997).