Ecological Rights Foundation v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

803 F. Supp. 2d 1056, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37230, 2011 WL 1302229
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedMarch 31, 2011
DocketCase No. C 09-03704 SBA
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 803 F. Supp. 2d 1056 (Ecological Rights Foundation v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ecological Rights Foundation v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., 803 F. Supp. 2d 1056, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37230, 2011 WL 1302229 (N.D. Cal. 2011).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS TO DISMISS

SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG, District Judge.

Plaintiff Ecological Rights Foundation (“Plaintiff’) brings the instant action against Defendants Pacific Gas and Electric (“PG & E”) and Pacific Bell Telephone (“Pacific Bell”) alleging that their wooden utility and telephone poles, respectively, [1058]*1058are discharging a toxic chemical, pentachlorophenol, into the environment in violation of the Clean Water Act (“CWA” or “Act”), 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq., and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq. The parties are presently before the Court on PG & E and Pacific Bell’s separate motions to dismiss the Second Amended Complaint (“SAC”), pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). Having read and considered the papers filed in connection with this matter and being fully informed, the Court hereby GRANTS Defendants’ motions for the reasons set forth below. The Court, in its discretion, finds this matter suitable for resolution without oral argument. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 78(b), Civ. L.R. 7-l(b).

I. BACKGROUND

PG & E is an electrical utility and Pacific Bell is a telephone service provider, which operate in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Francisco Counties. SAC ¶ 12. Both use wooden poles (“Pole” or “Poles”) which suspend power and/or communications wires as part of their operations in the aforementioned areas. Id. The Poles are pressure-treated with an oil-pentachlorophenol preservative mixture. Id.; see also Showalter Decl. Ex. A at 69646, Dkt. 52-2. According to Plaintiff, over time, rain causes this mixture to leak “onto whatever surface the Pole contacts.” Id. ¶ 13. In addition, the chemical mixture “oozes” to the surface and “is washed off the Pole by rainwater,” thereby contaminating the San Francisco Bay, its tributaries and adjacent wetlands. Id.

On June 4, 2009, Plaintiff, a non-profit public benefit corporation that focuses on ameliorating toxic pollution, sent PG & E a letter entitled Notice of Violations of Federal Law and Notice of Intent to Begin Citizen Enforcement Action. Showalter Decl. Ex. B. The letter advised PG & E of its alleged violations of the CWA and RCRA caused by the use of the oil-pentachlorophenol mixture on Poles “located in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin Counties.... ” Id. at 6. The letter included a non-exhaustive list of Poles in dispute and dates of the alleged violations. Id. (Exs. A-C to letter).

On August 13, 2009, Plaintiff commenced the instant action against PG & E alleging two claims for relief based on violations of the CWA. Dkt. 1. Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) against PG & E on September 13, 2009, which added a RCRA claim. Dkt. 7. Before PG & E’s response to the FAC was due, Plaintiff served a second notice letter, dated October 14, 2009, on PG & E and various others, identical in substance to the June 4 letter. Showalter Decl. Ex. C at 2 & n. 1. PG & E and the other entities were alleged to be members of the Northern California Joint Pole Agreement (“JPA”). Id. By letter, dated January 5, 2010, Plaintiff sent a third notice to over ninety parties, including PG & E and Pacific Bell. Id. Ex. C.

On February 4, 2010, PG & E filed a Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1). Dkt. 26. Among other things, PG & E argued that Plaintiffs June 2009 notice was deficient because it did not specify the location of each Pole at issue. In its order denying PG & E’s motion to dismiss, the Court found that PG & E had failed to cite any authority requiring that particular level of specificity. See Ecological Rights Found. v. Pac. Gas & Elec., C 09-3704 SBA, 2010 WL 1881595, at *3 (N.D.Cal. May 10, 2010). To the contrary, the Court found that “Plaintiff has provided more than sufficient information for PG & E to ascertain which poles are involved in this action.” Id.

[1059]*1059On June 21, 2010, Plaintiff filed a SAC, making substantially the same allegations as the original complaint, but now joining Pacific Bell as a defendant along with PG & E. Dkt. 45. The SAC alleges three claims for relief: (1) violation of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. § 1311(a); (2) violation of the CWA, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a), 1342; and (3) violation of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. § 6972(a)(1)(B).

Both Pacific Bell and PG & E have now filed separate, albeit largely identical motions to dismiss. Dkt. 49, 52. As a threshold matter, PG & E again contends that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction on the ground that Plaintiffs notice letters are deficient. In addition, both Defendants challenge the legal sufficiency of each of Plaintiffs three claims for relief. In particular, they contend Plaintiffs claims under the CWA fail on the grounds that there is no discharge from a “point source,” and because the alleged discharges are not associated with “industrial activity.” Finally, Defendants argue that Plaintiffs third claim under RCRA fails on the ground that Plaintiff has not alleged the disposal of a “solid waste” as required by the statute. The Court addresses each of these issues in turn.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

A. Rule 12(b)(1)

A complaint may be dismissed under Rule 12(b)(1) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. “A jurisdictional challenge ... may be made either on the face of the pleadings or by presenting extrinsic evidence.” Warren v. Fox Family Worldwide, Inc., 328 F.3d 1136, 1139 (9th Cir.2003). In a “facial” challenge, the court assumes the truth of plaintiffs factual allegations and draws all reasonable inferences in its favor. Doe v. Holy See, 557 F.3d 1066, 1073 (9th Cir.2009). In the case of a “speaking” motion, the court is not restricted to the face of the pleadings and “may review any evidence, such as affidavits and testimony, to resolve factual disputes concerning the existence of jurisdiction.” McCarthy v. United States, 850 F.2d 558, 560 (9th Cir.1988). In that case, “[i]t then becomes necessary for the party opposing the motion to present affidavits or any other evidence necessary to satisfy its burden of establishing that the court, in fact, possesses subject matter jurisdiction.” Colwell v. Dept. of Health and Human Servs., 558 F.3d 1112, 1121 (9th Cir.2009) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
803 F. Supp. 2d 1056, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37230, 2011 WL 1302229, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ecological-rights-foundation-v-pacific-gas-electric-co-cand-2011.