USOR Site PRP Grp. v. A & M Contractors, Inc.

• Decision Date: 02 August 2017
• Docket Number: CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:14–CV–2441
• Citation: 275 F.Supp.3d 808
• Parties: USOR SITE PRP GROUP, Plaintiff, v. A & M CONTRACTORS, INC., et al., Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Southern District of Texas

275 F.Supp.3d 808

USOR SITE PRP GROUP, Plaintiff,

v.A & M CONTRACTORS, INC., et al., Defendants.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:14–CV–2441

United States District Court, S.D. Texas, Houston Division.

Signed August 2, 2017

Gary D. Justis, Rachel D. Guthrie, The Justis Law Firm LLC, Overland Park, KS, Barry Stephen Rabon, Coats Rose et al, Houston, TX, Matthew Travers Merryman, The Justis Law Firm LLC, for Plaintiff.

Douglas Eugene Koger, Attorney at Law, Geary Todd Taylor, Johanson Fairless LLP, John Wesley Wauson, Wauson Probus, Sugar Land, TX, Timothy David McMurtrie, Brian Charles Miller, Royston Rayzor et al., Corpus Christi, TX, Bradley E. Chambers, Tiye Tarita Foley, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell Berkowitz PC, Tiye Tarita Foley, Royston Rayzor et al., Matthew Sean Parish, Taunton, Snyder & Slade, Scott Hanson McLemore, McLemore Law Firm, Sarah Jane Utley, Harris County Attorney's Office, Brandon Francis Renken, Locke Lord, William J. Jackson, Kelley Drye | Jackson Gilmour Dobbs, Gregory S. Hudson, Cozen O'Connor, Richard M. McElvaney, Jr., University of Houston Law Center, James Dean Salyer, Morris Lendais Hollrah Snowden, Edna Michelle Bohreer, Bohreer Zucker LLP, Scott Bounds, Olson & Olson, LLP, James E. Smith, Schirrmeister Diaz–Arrastia Brem LLP, Matthew William Caligur, Baker Hostetler LLP, Ronald Lee Bair, Bair Hilty PC, Thomas G. Gruenert, Neighbors Health, LLC, Ashley Aiello Prieto, Ragna Henrichs, Porter Hedges LLP, David Matthew Bates, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, Kenneth Olan Corley, Louis Gasche Holzer, Bernardo S. Garza, Russell Caldwell Ducoff, William H. Wellborne, Anthony W. Hernandez, Sybil J. Carr, Ted A. Cox, Timothy R. Ploch, Dean M. Blumrosen, William T. Green, III, Armando Lopez, David Hillel Melasky, Attorney at Law, Laura Gibson, Dentons US LLP, Kevin Frank Risley, Thompson Coe et al., P. Andrew McStay, John H. Trueheart, Jr., Porto Trueheart et al., Jon Alan Jaworski, Law Office of Jon A. Jaworski, John Vincent Burger, Burger Law Firm, Guy Kelly Cooksey, Coplen & Banks, PC, Eugene Wade Barr, Dimitri P. Georgantas, Royston Rayzor Vickery & Williams LLP, Joe C. Holzer, Andrews & Kurth, Michael Lee Fuqua, Fuqua And Associates PC, David Lawrence Merkley, Germer Gertz LLP, Sarah Jane Clinton Jones, Germer PLLC, Charles W. Irvine, Irvine & Conner PLLC, Michael Patrick McEvilly, Blackburn Carter PC, Chevazz Brown, Jackson Walker LLP, Karen M. Alvarado, Brothers Sepulveda Alvarado PC, Renesha Fountain, Chamberlain Hrdlicka et al., Mohammed Ali Zakaria, M Ali Zakaria Assoc PC, Adam Brett Chambers, Bateman Pugh Chambers PLLC, David Andrew Kirby, Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard, LLP, Gary Leonard Pate, Robert G. Dees, Martin Disiere Jeffeson and Wisdom LLP, Lesley Catherine O'Connor, O'Connor Craig et al, Harry Ross Asher, Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC, Jerrad D. Bloome, Weycer Kaplan et al., Jarrod Barclay Martin, Nathan Sommers et al., Adam Wagoner Green, Baker Donelson et al., Brendan P. Doherty, Gieger Laborde Lapersouse LLC, Joelle Grace Nelson, Shannon Lee Snider, Josh K. Davis, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, Thomas H. Smith, III, Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C., Christopher Joseph Tramonte, Tramonte Assoc., Brian Weil Zimmerman, Zimmerman Axelrad et al., Mac Wesley Hancock, III, Law Offices of Mac W. Hancock III, Paul Anthony Galante, Pierce and O'Neill LLP, George B. Murr, Murr Yanochik, P.L.L.C., Nataliya Kharmats Tipton, Brian Elliott White, Attorney Brian White & Associates, P.C., Nicole Marie Hilburn, Dabney & Pappas, Richard A. Morris, Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P., Chung Yuan Lee, C.Y. Lee Legal Group, PLLC, Craig Kenward Ribbeck, The Ribbeck Law Firm PLLC, Dale F. Carrington, Law Office of Dale F. Carrington, Matthew Legler Benson, Matthew L. Benson, P.C., Keryl LaSonya Burgess Douglas, Keryl L. Douglas Attorney at Law, Linda M. Talbot, Timothy R. Ploch PC, William O. Grimsinger, Grimsinger Law, Eric David Nielsen, The Nielsen Law Firm, Alan Ying–Kit Kwan, Kwan Assoc. PC, Monica Schulz Orlando, Orlando & Orlando, LLP, William S. Chesney, III, Frank, Elmore et al., Peter Joseph Bennett, Peter J. Bennett PC, Bennett G. Fisher, Fisher and Associates PC, Stephen Theodore Liss, Law Office of Stephen Liss, PLLC, Nathan A. Steadman, Meyer Knight Williams LLP, James David Smith, Smith Law Firm, Justin William Renshaw, Renshaw Norwood, PLLC, Andrew M. Edison, Edison, McDowell & Hetherington, LLP, Houston, TX, Kenna M. Seiler, Jay M. Wright, Attorney at Law, Conroe, TX, George McCorkell Plews, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP, Indianapolis, IN, Daniel Phillip Cory, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP, South Bend, IN, Catherine Bentley Harris, John L. Hendricks, Reed & Scardino LLP, C. Carrick Brooke–Davidson, Guida Slavich and Flores PC, Charles O. Grigson, Burgain Garfield Hayes, Attorney at Law, Donald H. Grissom, Grissom and Thompson LLP, Thomas Haines Edwards, Office of Attorney General, Katherine J. Walters, Richie Gueringer PC, Adam Hugh Sencenbaugh, Haynes and Boone LLP, Austin, TX, Michael Keith Eaves, Calvert Eaves Clarke Stelly LLP, David W. Ledyard, Strong Pipkin et al., Beaumont, TX, Raethella Jones, Brazoria County District Attorney, Angleton, TX, Howard L. Gilberg, Guida Slavich Flores PC, Jason Levi Sanders, Sanders Collins PLLC, Bruce Marvin Flowers, Kane Russell Coleman Logan PC, Jennifer Lynne Graf, Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP, Jeffrey M. Travis, Travis Law Group, Rachel Ziolkowski Ullrich, FordHarrison LLP, Brad Jackson, Law Offices of Brad Jackson, Dallas, TX, Alan Bruce White, Robert Weinstock, Jill Marie Fortney, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, Raymond T. Reott, Chicago, IL, Gregory R. Tan, Matthew Bryan Miller, Hayley E. Neal, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Carlos Ricardo Romo, Lewis Bess Williams & Weese, Denver, CO, Paul Martin Seby, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Leland P. McKeeman, Leland P. McKeeman, Attorney at Law, James David Bradbury, Attorney at Law, Fort Worth, TX, James P. Moon, Attorney at Law, Waxahachie, TX, Lloyd W. Landreth, Landreth Law Firm PLC, Jenks, OK, Clint Foster Sare, Law Office of Clint F. Sare, Bryan, TX, Anthony James Reitano, Monica Perez Schroeck, Herold Law PA, Warren, NJ, Rhonda Denice Walls, Sowell Alvares et al PLLC, Katy, TX, Teresa L. DeFord, De Ford Law Firm PLLC, Melvin L. Smith, Jr., Law Offices of Mel Smith, The Woodlands, TX, Juan Roberto Fuentes, The Fuentes Firm, P.C., Spring, TX, Tammie S. Haynes, Attorney at Law, Willis, TX, Craig K. Pendergrast, Taylor English Duma LLP, Andrew Thompson, Stephen Edmund O'Day, Smith Gambrell & Russell LLP, Atlanta, GA, John Michael DiGiglia, Gieger Laborde & Laperouse LLC, New Orleans, LA, Jonathan M. Bailey, Bailey and Bailey PC, Vincent A. Notzon, Martin Drought PC, San Antonio, TX, Kevin P. Holewinski, Daniella A. Einik, Jones Day, Washington, DC, Howard H. Singleton, Singleton Law Firm, Wharton, TX, John K. George, Attorney at Law, Bellaire, TX, Ragna Henrichs, Porter Hedges LLP, Leslie Wm. Adams, Attorney at Law, Todd C. Collins, for Defendants.

Tideport Distributing, Inc., pro se.

Watco Companies, LLC, pro se.

El Taquito Meat Market Inc., Houston, TX, pro se.

Premier Cash Inc., Houston, TX, pro se.

Tajindia, Inc., Houston, TX, pro se.

Three Brothers Bakery, Inc, Houston, TX, pro se.

Tierra Viva Inc., Houston, TX, pro se.

KHSS Ventures, Inc., Pasadena, TX, pro se.

Affordable Environmental Service, LLC, pro se.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Kenneth M. Hoyt, United States District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

Before the Court is USOR's amended motion for summary judgment and the defendant, the City of Pasadena's, cross-motion for summary judgment¹ . The Court notes that it has issued an omnibus memorandum opinion identifying and discussing undisputed facts and as well, the rudiments of the applicable law, associated solely with the issue of liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA") and the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act ("TSDWA"). With that memorandum opinion in place and the issue of general liability resolved, the Court will hereafter addresses USOR's amended motion for summary judgment [DE# 3286] and the City's cross-motion for summary judgment [DE# 3758].

II. JURISDICTIONAL BASES

This suit was filed by USOR to collect response costs and expenses due to alleged environmental contamination at the U. S. Oil Recovery Superfund Site ("USOR Site") and the MCC Recycling Facility located at 200 N. Richey and 400 N. Richey in Pasadena, Texas respectively. On August 14, 2014, the USOR filed this complaint against hundreds of defendants asserting that they are collectively responsible, under federal and state law, for response costs and expenses associated with remediating environmental contamination at the identified USOR Sites.

Since the original complaint was filed, the USOR has amended its suit on two occasions, the last on August 1, 2016. The USOR seeks contribution, cost recovery that has occurred or will occur, and declaratory relief under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA") and cost recovery under the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act ("TSWDA"). See [ 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et. seq. ; Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. §§ 361.001 et. seq. , respectively]. This Court has jurisdiction to entertain the issues raised by the USOR under both CERCLA and TSWDA.

III. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD

The USOR consists of firms, corporations, associations, and/or partnerships. The EPA has determined that the members of the USOR are "persons" as defined by Section 101(21) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. § 9601(21). See (a) [Removal Action AOC, Conclusions of Law and Determinations "c," p.7 (Dkt. No. 1429–1, at 7) ]; (b) [AOI–1 RI/FS AOC Conclusions of Law and Determinations ¶ 28 (Dkt. No. 1429–2, at 8) ]; and, (c) [Second Removal Action AOC, Conclusions of Law and Determinations ¶ 23 (Dkt. No. 3187–1, at 6) ]. Likewise, TCEQ has determined that the members of the USOR are "persons" as defined by Section 361.003...