Public Service Electric v. Newport Associates Dev.

365 F. Supp. 3d 506
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Jersey
DecidedJanuary 28, 2019
DocketCiv. No. 16-8445 (KM) (JBC)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 365 F. Supp. 3d 506 (Public Service Electric v. Newport Associates Dev.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Public Service Electric v. Newport Associates Dev., 365 F. Supp. 3d 506 (D.N.J. 2019).

Opinion

Kevin McNulty, United States District Judge

Counterclaim and Third-Party Plaintiffs, Newport Associates Development Company ("Newport Development") and Newport Associates Phase I Developers Limited Partnership ("Newport Phase One") (together, "Newport"), seek remedial, statutory, and punitive damages related to an alleged environmental contamination in the Newport Marina in Jersey City ("the Spill"). Newport, originally sued by Public Service Electric and Gas Company ("PSE & G") in connection with the Spill, brings claims against PSE & G as Counterclaim Defendant, and against Third-Party Defendant Consolidated Edison Company of New York ("Con Edison"). (Con Edison and PSE & G are referred to collectively as the "Utilities".).

Newport seeks relief from the Utilities under both federal and state statutes. Under the federal Oil Pollution Act (the "OPA"), Newport seeks removal costs and statutory damages (count VIII); declaratory judgment (count IX); and contribution (count X). Under the New Jersey Spill Compensation & Control Act (the "Spill Act"), Newport seeks contribution and declaratory relief (count XIII). Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA"), Newport seeks response costs, contribution, and declaratory judgment (count XIV). Last, Newport seeks a citizen-suit injunction under the Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Safety Act ("HLPSA") (count XV). These counts are not implicated by the motion now before the Court.

Against PSE & G alone, Newport brings claims for breach of an easement (count I), termination or modification of the easement (count VII), and indemnification under the easement (count XI). These counts are not implicated by the motion now before the Court.

*510Against both Utilities, Newport brings claims for pre-Spill negligence (count II); negligence in responding to the Spill (count III); trespass (count IV); nuisance (count V); strict liability for ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous activities (count VI); and indemnification under an access agreement (count XII).

Before the Court is Con Edison's motion pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) to dismiss four of these counts: pre-Spill negligence (count II); strict liability for ultrahazardous or abnormally dangerous activities (count VI); trespass (count IV); and nuisance (count V). For the reasons discussed below, Con Edison's motion to dismiss is granted in part and denied in part.

I. Summary1

a. Background

I focus here on the facts alleged in the amended third party Complaint that are relevant to the four counts targeted by the motion to dismiss.2

*511i. The parties

Newport Development is a New Jersey general partnership with its principal place of business in Jersey City, New Jersey. (A3PC ¶ 16). Newport Phase One is a New Jersey limited partnership with its principal place of business at the same address as Newport Development. (Id. ¶¶ 16-17). PSE & G is a New Jersey corporation with its principal place of business in Newark, New Jersey. (Id. ¶ 18). Con Edison is a New York corporation with its principal place of business in New York City. (Id. ¶ 19).

ii. Installation of the cables

The Utilities own and operate two 350kV electric cables that transmit electricity from Jersey City, New Jersey, to Brooklyn, New York (the "Cables"). (A3PC ¶ 24). The Cables run overland from PSE & G's Hudson substation in Jersey City, under the Hudson River, overland through Manhattan, and then under the East River to Con Edison's Farragut substation in Brooklyn. (Id. ). The Cables do not supply electricity to Newport's property or any other property in New Jersey. (Id. ). Rather, the Cables supply electricity to Con Edison's customers in New York. (Id. ).

The first Cable, as well as the steel pipe for the second Cable, were installed in 1972. (A3PC ¶ 25). The second Cable was installed in 1982. (Id. ). Both Con Edison and PSE & G participated in the design and construction of the Cables, as well as the maintenance and repair (or lack thereof) of the Cables. (Id. at ¶ 21). Among other agreements, the "1975 ICA" between Con Edison and PSE & G provided as follows: "In behalf of Con Edison and [PSE & G], Con Edison shall maintain the entire river crossing section of the [Cables]. All maintenance costs so incurred shall be shared equally by the parties hereto." (Id. ).

Con Edison never certified to PSE & G that construction of the Cables was substantially complete, never obtained a certificate of occupancy or similar document from any relevant government regulator, and never ceased performing services on the Cables, including the portion of the Cables owned by Con Edison. (A3PC ¶ 22). In Newport's view, these facts support an inference that Con Edison never relinquished its role with respect to the Cables.3

Each electric Cable is seven miles long and is housed in a steel pipe with a 10-inch diameter. (A3PC at ¶ 26). The pipes are generally encased in coal tar and, except around the welds, concrete. (Id. ). The pipes contain dielectric fluid, a refined petroleum product, to insulate the Cables. (Id. ).

The dielectric fluid circulates throughout the entire length of the Cables and through onshore storage tanks. (A3PC at ¶ 27). Over the years, the Utilities have from time to time added new dielectric fluid to the storage tanks to replace fluid that has leaked into the environment. (Id. ).

The Cables are designed to operate even while leaking, provided that additional dielectric fluid is pumped into the Cables to *512replace leaking fluid. (A3PC at ¶ 28). A pressure sensor, the sole system to detect leaks, is designed to sense only large leaks. The sensor may detect the existence of a leak, but not its location. The present Spill, which has been ongoing since at least October 2016, has not triggered the pressure sensor. (Id. ).

The Army Corps of Engineers (the "ACOE") and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (the "NJDEP") issued permits for the Cables. The permits required a six-foot protective layer of crushed stone. (A3PC ¶ 29). The Utilities failed to install the required layer of crushed stone, at least along the hundreds of feet of the Cables in the vicinity of the Pier that have now been excavated or lanced. (Id. ).

iii. The Easement

In 1986, Newport acquired a portion of the riverbed of the Hudson River, adjacent to Jersey City. The Cables pass over that portion of the riverbed. At the time Newport acquired the property, the Cables were already installed. (A3PC at ¶ 31).

On January 1, 1987, Newport and PSE & G entered into an easement agreement (the "Easement") that superseded all prior agreements between their predecessors in interest. (A3PC at ¶ 32). The Easement runs parallel to the Pier, approximately 5 to 35 feet north of the Pier, and is about 30 feet wide. (Id. ).

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365 F. Supp. 3d 506, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/public-service-electric-v-newport-associates-dev-njd-2019.