Case: Center For Biological Diversity v. U.S. Department of Agriculture

3:26-cv-00866 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Filed Date: Jan. 28, 2026

Case Ongoing

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Case Summary

On January 28, 2026, Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, to challenge USDA's deregulation of agency action under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.. Plaintiffs also brought this complaint against the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and their respective leadership to challenge their unlawful implementation of NEPA following USDA's policy and regulation changes. Filing under the Administrative Procedure Act 5 U.S.C. § 551 et seq., and NEPA, they sought declaratory and injunctive relief barring the implementation of the USDA's Final Rule.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Claire Pollard (2/9/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72197632/parties/center-for-biological-diversity-v-us-department-of-agriculture/

Attorney for Plaintiff

Benson, Elizabeth Fay (California)

Connor, Hannah Mary (California)

Jones-Cobb, Brandon (California)

Park, Wendy Sangbee (California)

Shoaff, Nathaniel Thomas (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Benson, Elizabeth Fay (California)

Connor, Hannah Mary (California)

Jones-Cobb, Brandon (California)

Park, Wendy Sangbee (California)

Shoaff, Nathaniel Thomas (California)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 3:26-cv-00866	Complaint and Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Center For Biological Diversity et al. v. United States Department of Agriculture et al.	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72197632/center-for-biological-diversity-v-us-department-of-agriculture/

Last updated Feb. 13, 2026, 12:06 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405, receipt number ACANDC-21590733.). Injunction against the US government/official or APA vacatur requested. Filed by Sierra Club, Center For Biological Diversity. (Park, Wendy) (Filed on 1/28/2026) (Entered: 01/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026 Clearinghouse
2	Case assigned to Judge Rita F. Lin. Counsel for plaintiff or the removing party is responsible for serving the Complaint or Notice of Removal, Summons and the assigned judge's standing orders and all other new case documents upon the opposing parties. For information, visit E-Filing A New Civil Case at http://cand.uscourts.gov/ecf/caseopening.Standing orders can be downloaded from the court's web page at www.cand.uscourts.gov/judges. Upon receipt, the summons will be issued and returned electronically. A scheduling order will be sent by Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) within two business days. (mbc, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/28/2026) (Entered: 01/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
3	Initial Case Management Scheduling Order with ADR Deadlines: Case Management Statement due by 4/29/2026. Initial Case Management Conference set for 5/6/2026 10:00 AM in San Francisco, - Videoconference Only. (mbc, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/28/2026) (Entered: 01/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
4	Certificate of Interested Entities by Center For Biological Diversity, Sierra Club (Park, Wendy) (Filed on 1/28/2026) (Entered: 01/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
5	Proposed Summons. (Park, Wendy) (Filed on 1/28/2026) (Entered: 01/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
6	MOTION for leave to appear in Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 328, receipt number ACANDC-21592789.) filed by Center For Biological Diversity. (Connor, Hannah) (Filed on 1/28/2026) (Entered: 01/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
	~Util - Case Assigned by Intake	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
	Electronic Filing Error	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
	Electronic filing error. Only ONE Summons will be issued to ALL Defendants. You may attach a list of Defendants with their Addresses, if the space provided is not enough. This filing will not be processed by the clerks office.Please re-file in its entirety. Re: 5 Proposed Summons filed by Center For Biological Diversity, Sierra Club (mbc, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/28/2026)	Jan. 28, 2026	Jan. 28, 2026
7	Proposed Summons. (Park, Wendy) (Filed on 1/29/2026) (Entered: 01/29/2026)	Jan. 29, 2026	Jan. 29, 2026
8	Summons Issued as to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Brooke Rollins, Tom Schultz, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Michael Watson, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (mbc, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/29/2026) (Entered: 01/29/2026)	Jan. 29, 2026	Jan. 29, 2026
9	MOTION for leave to appear in Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 328, receipt number ACANDC-21600335.) filed by Center For Biological Diversity, Sierra Club. (Jones-Cobb, Brandon) (Filed on 1/30/2026) (Entered: 01/30/2026)	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
10	ORDER by Judge Rita F. Lin denying 6 Motion for Pro Hac Vice. (afm, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/30/2026) (Entered: 02/02/2026)	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
11	ORDER by Judge Rita F. Lin granting 9 Motion for Pro Hac Vice. (afm, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/30/2026) (Entered: 02/02/2026)	Jan. 30, 2026	Jan. 30, 2026
12	AMENDED 6 MOTION for leave to appear in Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 328, receipt number ACANDC-21592789.) filed byCenter For Biological Diversity. (Related document(s) 6 ) (Connor, Hannah) (Filed on 2/2/2026) Modified on 2/2/2026 (afm, COURT STAFF). (Entered: 02/02/2026)	Feb. 2, 2026	Feb. 2, 2026
13	ORDER by Judge Rita F. Lin granting 12 Motion for Pro Hac Vice. (afm, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 2/2/2026) (Entered: 02/02/2026)	Feb. 2, 2026	Feb. 2, 2026
14	UNOPPOSED Administrative Motion to Consider Whether Cases Should be Related by Center For Biological Diversity, Sierra Club (Attachments: # 1 Signature Page (Declarations/Stipulations) Stipulation to Relate Cases, # 2 Proposed Order) (Park, Wendy) (Filed on 2/3/2026) Modified on 2/4/2026 (kmg, COURT STAFF). Modified on 2/4/2026 (kmg, COURT STAFF). (Entered: 02/03/2026)	Feb. 3, 2026	Feb. 3, 2026
15	NOTICE of Appearance filed by Gregory Martin Cumming on behalf of Brooke Rollins, Tom Schultz, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Michael Watson (Cumming, Gregory) (Filed on 2/4/2026) (Entered: 02/04/2026)	Feb. 4, 2026	Feb. 4, 2026
	Notice of Appearance/Substitution/Change/Withdrawal of Attorney	Feb. 4, 2026	Feb. 4, 2026
16	Order on Motion to Relate Case	Feb. 9, 2026	Feb. 9, 2026
18	Clerk's Notice Setting Zoom Hearing	Feb. 10, 2026	Feb. 10, 2026
	Case Assigned/Reassigned	Feb. 10, 2026	Feb. 10, 2026
19	Certificate/Proof of Service	Feb. 11, 2026	Feb. 11, 2026

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Case Details

State / Territory:

California

Case Type(s):

Environmental Justice

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Jan. 28, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiffs are nonprofit corporations dedication to the protection of wildlife, wildlands, ecosystems, and recreational opportunities on public lands.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Non-profit NON-religious organization

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

United States Department of Agriculture, Federal

United States Forest Service, Federal

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Federal

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide