Cases
Representative Experience: Lead defense counsel for a large property owner
oil company in a suit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana by the United States Department of Justice on behalf of the United States EPA seeking cost recovery under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) for the costs of cleaning up an ab
oned oilfield facility. A successful outcome was reached for the client with the dismissal of the case on a motion for summary judgment.
Defense for a claim for natural resources damages by federal
state trustees for natural resources damages under OPA related to the release of petroleum products in the waters of the United States. The client was a large interstate natural gas pipeline company. After successful negotiations in which the NRDA assessment process was questioned, the federal trustees ab
oned their claims for NRDA damages. A favorable cash settlement was concluded with the state trustees
the state NRDA claims were released.
Lead defense counsel for numerous oil
gas exploration, transportation
products companies in lawsuits by l
owners claiming property damages related to oil
gas operations including surface
groundwater contamination
wetl
s loss.
Representation of industry clients in connection with numerous state
federal Superfund sites including Line Avenue Creosote Site
Shoreline Refinery Site
Dutchtown Site
Combustion Inc. Site
Mar Services Site
PAB Oil Site
Tate Cove Site
Marco in Iota Site
Tex Tin, Texas Site
Rab Valley, Oklahoma
other.
Lead defense counsel in numerous claims for alleged wetl
s damages
wetl
s losses against oil
gas companies allegedly related to oil
gas exploration activities. These cases required extensive expertise in surface hydrology, wetl
s loss, salt water intrusion,
geological subsidence.
Representation of PRPs in numerous state superfund sites which employed RECAP to determine the remedial action, including the Line Avenue Site in Shreveport, Louisiana: The Line Avenue site was the first site to be addressed under Louisiana's RECAP regulations
the Inactive
Ab
oned Site (IAS) regulations.
Representation of a l
owner in securing a full
complete release from LDEQ for the Shoreline Refinery Site: The site was an ab
oned oil refinery. The agreement with LDEQ provided for a voluntary, partial cleanup in return for a full release.
Negotiation of numerous Guaranteed Remedical Action Contracts for state
federal Superfund sites with environmental contracting firms on behalf of PRPs.
Representation of numerous clients in connection with selection of remedical actions under Louisiana's Inactive
Ab
oned Site (IAS) regulations
Louisiana's Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP).
PRP Group counsel for Bayou Sorrel Superfund Site
Gulf Coast Vacuum Superfund Site PRP Groups.
Lead trial counsel for defendant in toxic tort class actions in Louisiana
Mississippi in connection with a chemical leak from a railcar at Gaylord Chemical in Bogalusa, Louisiana
in negotiations with state
federal agencies.
Representation of defendant, a former plant owner
operator, in the remediation of its pesticide blending
warehousing facility in New Orleans, Louisiana,
in the defense of a resulting class action lawsuit.
Representation of defendant as trial counsel, plant operator, in a class action lawsuit resulting from a catastrophic chemical plant explosion in Monroe, Louisiana.
Lead defense counsel for joint defense group in a class action toxic tort suit related to Combustion, Inc. Site on behalf of a joint defense group.
Defense counsel in many multiple joinder class action environmental tort cases alleging chemical releases from industrial plants.
Lead administrative hearing counsel in environmental permit
enforcement actions before EPA
LDEQ.
Defense counsel in class action
multiple joinder cases involving five (5) releases of H2S/SO2 from a petroleum refinery in New Orleans.
Defense of numerous compliance actions initiated by LDEQ
EPA regions 4
6 involving alleged violations of a broad range of environmental statutes.
Lead defense counsel in a case filed by the United States Department of Justice on behalf of the United States Coast Guard filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against a major oil
gas exploration company for cost recovery under OPA related to the release or threatened release of oil into the waters of the United States. A successful result was achieved with the dismissal of the case on a motion for summary judgment.
