LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – Shell Oil has filed suit against the previous owners of two properties in California it also used to own regarding the costs associated with the environmental cleanup.
Shell Oil Co. filed a complaint on Jan. 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division against BCI Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Los Angeles, Lone Oak-Carson LLC, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., et al. citing the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980s.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff and defendants were former owners of two properties in Torrance, California. In 1993, the plaintiff and BCI Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Los Angeles entered into an agreement to settle claims involving contamination at the properties. The suit states the property was previously used for synthetic rubber production and has been redeveloped into a business park, but chemicals used in synthetic rubber production contaminated the soil and groundwater.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants owned and operated facilities that used chlorinated solvents that were not historically used at the property and "comprise a significant portion of the contamination at issue."
The plaintiff alleges it has incurred past response costs of more than $2.5 million and expects to incur future response costs of more than $4.7 million.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks recovery of necessary response costs, contribution of defendants' equitable share, damages, attorneys’ fees, and prejudgment interest. It is represented by Michael R. Leslie and Miguel A. Gradilla of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP in Los Angeles.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 2:19-cv-00267-DDP-MAA