BP Amoco Chemical Co. v. Sun Oil Co.

200 F. Supp. 2d 429, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8121, 2002 WL 818851
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedApril 30, 2002
DocketCiv.A.00-082-RRM
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 200 F. Supp. 2d 429 (BP Amoco Chemical Co. v. Sun Oil Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
BP Amoco Chemical Co. v. Sun Oil Co., 200 F. Supp. 2d 429, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8121, 2002 WL 818851 (D. Del. 2002).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

MCKELVIE, District Judge.

This lawsuit concerns the apportionment of environmental liabilities. Plaintiff, BP Amoco Chemical Company, is a Delaware corporation. Defendants, Sun Oil Company and FMC Corporation, are Delaware corporations. Defendant, Claymont Investment Corporation, at ah times relevant to this action, was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun.

BP Amoco has moved to alter or amend an earlier order of this court that partially granted defendants’ motions to dismiss as to certain counts of the first amended complaint. By its motion, BP Amoco also seeks partial reargument of that same order. The court will consider BP Amoco’s motion as a motion to reconsider its decision to dismiss certain counts of the amended complaint. This is the court’s decision on plaintiffs motion.

I. RELEVANT PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On February 9, 2000, BP Amoco filed its complaint in this action against Sun, Claymont, and FMC alleging that defendants are jointly and severally liable for contribution and indemnification of costs it incurred in connection with the settlement of an environmental contamination suit with the United States Government. BP Amoco’s complaint sought relief under the following legal theories: contribution under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of *431 1980 (“CERCLA”), 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et. seq.; (ii) contribution under the Delaware Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act (“HSCA”), 7 Del.C. § 9105(a); (in) contribution under the Delaware Uniform Contribution Among Tortfeasors Law (“UCATL”), 10 Del.C. § 6302; (iv) express indemnification or contribution under agreements between the parties; (v) negligence; and (vi) breach of contract. BP Amoco also sought a judgment declaring defendants to be liable for contribution and indemnification of related costs that it may incur in the future.

On October 6, 2000, BP Amoco amended its complaint. On October 27, 2000, Sun and Claymont moved to dismiss the amended complaint. Soon thereafter, on October 30, 2000, FMC renewed its pre-amended complaint motion to dismiss the amended complaint.

On September 17, 2001, the court issued an opinion and accompanying order in which it considered and ruled on the defendants’ motions to dismiss. See BP Amoco Chemical Co. v. Sun Oil Co., 166 F.Supp.2d 984 (D.Del.2001). Therein the court granted in part and denied in part the defendants’ motions to dismiss. The court first addressed the CERCLA and HSCA claims for direct operator liability against Sun and FMC, finding that the complaint stated a claim as to Sun, but not as to FMC. The court also dismissed BP Amoco’s CERCLA and HSCA claims that were based on an alleged “partnership at will” between the parties, finding that no such relationship existed. Next, the court found that BP Amoco’s claim against Sun under the Delaware Uniform Contribution Among Tortfeasors Law, 10 Del.C. § 6302(a), must be dismissed because Sun was not alleged to be a party to the Consent Decree upon which BP Amoco relied to establish liability for contribution. In addressing BP Amoco’s claims for breach of warranty, the court found that these claims must also be dismissed respectively because the warranty clauses were limited to liabilities as of the contract date and do not include future liabilities.

The court turned next to BP Amoco’s claim for negligent provision of services, finding that dismissal was warranted as to these claims because BP Amoco did not plead the necessary element of physical injury. Next, the court found that BP Amoco’s breach of contract claim, which was based on a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement between the parties and the State of Delaware Department of National Resources and Environmental Control, must be dismissed because BP Amoco failed to allege any contractual obligation between BP Amoco and the defendants. Instead, BP Amoco alleged only that a contract exists between defendants and the State. Last, the court found that BP Amoco’s claims for declaratory relief were unripe, because BP Amoco had not yet paid response costs for any site other than the DS & G site. The court implemented these findings in an order accompanying its opinion, which dismissed the counts of BP Amoco’s amended complaint that the court had determined should be dismissed.

On October 1, 2002, BP Amoco filed a motion to alter and amend the court’s order. By the same motion paper, BP Amoco also moved for partial reargument of the court’s order. By its motion, BP Amoco argues that (i) the court should reverse its decision that BP Amoco failed to state a CERCLA and-HSCA claim against FMC for direct operator liability; (ii) the court should reverse its decision that BP Amoco’s declaratory judgment claim against FMC for CERCLA and HSCA contribution is unripe; and (iii) the court should reverse its decision that BP Amoco failed to state a claim for breach of contract against Sun and FMC.

*432 FMC filed its brief in opposition to BP Amoco’s motions on October 16, 2001. Soon thereafter, on October 16, 2001, Sun filed its brief in opposition to BP Amoco’s motions. 1 This is the court’s decision on the motions to amend and for reargument.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Legal Standards Applicable to Plaintiffs Motions

1. Motion to Reconsider or Amend

Motions for reconsideration, 2 as a general rule, are granted sparingly and only in limited circumstances. See Dentsply Int’l. v. Kerr Mfg. Co., 42 F.Supp.2d 385, 419 (D.Del.1999). A party bringing a motion seeking to alter or amend an order, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 59(e), must establish one of three grounds: (i) there is an intervening change in controlling law, (ii) new evidence has become available, or (iii) there is a need to correct the court’s clear error of law or fact or to prevent manifest injustice. Max’s Seafood Café v. Quinteros, 176 F.3d 669, 677 (3d Cir.1999) (citing North River Ins. Co. v. CIGNA Reinsurance Co., 52 F.3d 1194, 1218 (3d Cir.1995)). Furthermore, motions for reconsideration “should not be used to rehash arguments already briefed.” Dentsply, 42 F.Supp.2d at 419.

2. Motion for Reargument

Similarly, motions for reargument under Delaware Local Rule 7.1.5, are granted only in narrow circumstances. A court should only grant reargument when (i) the court has patently misunderstood a party; (ii) the court has made a decision outside of the adversarial issues presented to the court by the parties, or. (iii) the court has made an error not of reasoning but of apprehension. Schering Corp. v. Amgen, Inc., 25 F.Supp.2d 293, 295 (D.Del.1998). Like motions for reconsideration, motions for reargument cannot be granted in circumstances where the movant simply “rehashes material and theories already briefed and decided.” Id.

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200 F. Supp. 2d 429, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8121, 2002 WL 818851, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bp-amoco-chemical-co-v-sun-oil-co-ded-2002.