Summary
stating that to establish liability, "independent releasability of the substance, i.e. , without effect of an intervening force, need not be established"
Summary of this case from LCCS Grp. v. A.N. Webber Logistics, Inc.Opinion
95-CV-956A
March 27, 2003
ORDER
This case was referred to Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1), on February 9, 1996. On May 15, 2001, plaintiff Pfohl Brothers Landfill Steering Committee filed a motion for partial summary judgment and defendants Allied Waste Systems, Inc. and GSX Polymers, Inc. ("GSX") filed a motion for summary judgment. On August 12, 2002, Magistrate Judge Foschio filed a Report and Recommendation, recommending that plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment be granted in part and denied in part and that defendants' motion for summary judgment be granted in part and denied in part. Specifically, the Magistrate Judge recommended that summary judgment should: (1) as to whether the record establishes that defendant GSX's predecessor, U.S. Rubber Reclaiming Co., Inc. ("U.S. Rubber"), deposited hazardous substances into the Pfohl Brothers Landfill such that defendants are subject to CERCLA generator liability, be granted as to plaintiff and denied as to defendants; (2) as to plaintiff's CERCLA contribution claim based on successor liability of defendants, be granted in favor of plaintiff; (3) as to the imposition of a constructive trust upon defendants as requested by plaintiff in connection with the CERCLA contribution claim, be granted in favor of plaintiff; (4) as to plaintiff's fraudulent conveyance claim, be granted as to defendants because the claim is time-barred or, alternatively, plaintiff's constructive fraud claim should be granted as to plaintiff although the existence of material issues of fact preclude summary judgment on plaintiff's actual fraud claim; and (5) as to plaintiff's claim for piercing the corporate veil, be denied as to plaintiff and granted as to defendants.
Defendants filed objections to the Report and Recommendation on September 19, 2002. Plaintiff filed a response to the objections on October 18, 2002. Defendants filed a reply thereto on October 29, 2002. Oral argument on the objections was held on March 19, 2003.
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1), this Court must make a de novo determination of those portions of the Report and Recommendation to which objections have been made. Upon a de novo review of the Report and Recommendation, and after reviewing the submissions and hearing argument from the parties, the Court adopts the proposed findings of the Report and Recommendation.
Accordingly, for the reasons set forth in Magistrate Judge Foschio's Report and Recommendation, summary judgment: (1) as to whether the record establishes that defendant GSX's predecessor, U.S. Rubber, deposited hazardous substances into the Pfohl Brothers Landfill such that defendants are subject to CERCLA generator liability is granted as to plaintiff and denied as to defendants; (2) as to plaintiff's CERCLA contribution claim based on successor liability of defendants is granted in favor of plaintiff; (3) as to the imposition of a constructive trust upon defendants as requested by plaintiff in connection with the CERCLA contribution claim is granted in favor of plaintiff; (4) as to plaintiff's fraudulent conveyance claim is granted as to defendants because the claim is time-barred; and (5) as to plaintiff's claim for piercing the corporate veil is denied as to plaintiff and granted as to defendants. The case is hereby referred back to Magistrate Judge Foschio for further proceedings.
IT IS SO ORDERED.