Franconia Minerals (Us) Llc et al v. United States of America et alMOTION to Dismiss/General Plaintiffs' Supplemental and Amended ComplaintD. Minn.June 5, 20171 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA FRANCONIA MINERALS (US) LLC and TWIN METALS MINNESOTA LLC, Plaintiffs, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, et al., Defendants, and NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS, Defendant-Intervenor. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) CIVIL NO. 16-3042 SRN/LIB DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS SUPPLEMENTAL AND AMENDED COMPLAINT Federal Defendants hereby move this Court to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Supplemental and Amended Complaint (ECF No. 72) pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). This Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims because a contract dispute does not provide a cognizable cause of action under the Quiet Title Act or the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”). The case must be brought in the Court of Federal Claims under the Tucker Act, precluding jurisdiction in this Court. In addition, this Court lacks jurisdiction over Count I because Plaintiffs have failed to identify an interest in real property that is cognizable under the Quiet Title Act. The Court must also dismiss Count IV because Plaintiffs have an adequate alternative remedy at law and fail to state a claim against the United States Forest Service for which relief can be granted. CASE 0:16-cv-03042-SRN-LIB Document 90 Filed 06/05/17 Page 1 of 2 2 This Motion is supported with a Memorandum of Law filed herewith. Respectfully submitted this 5th day of June, 2017. JEFFREY H. WOOD Acting Assistant Attorney General /s/ Stuart C. Gillespie MARISSA A. PIROPATO (MA 651630) CLARE BORONOW (Admitted to MD bar) SEAN C. DUFFY (NY 4103131) STUART GILLESPIE (CO 42861) United States Department of Justice Environment & Natural Resources Division 601 D Street NW Washington, DC 20004 Tel: (202) 305-0470 (Piropato) (303) 844-1362 (Boronow) (202) 305-0445 (Duffy) (303) 844-1382 (Gillespie) E-mail: Marissa.Piropato@usdoj.gov Clare.Boronow@usdoj.gov Sean.C.Duffy@usdoj.gov Stuart.Gillespie@usdoj.gov Attorneys for Defendants CASE 0:16-cv-03042-SRN-LIB Document 90 Filed 06/05/17 Page 2 of 2
