Louisiana State; Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management, Thomas F. Harris, Secretary, Intervenors—Appellees, v. << (2024)

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

PLAQUEMINES PARISH, Plaintiff—Appellee, Louisiana State; Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management, Thomas F. Harris, Secretary, Intervenors—Appellees, v.

BP AMERICA PRODUCTION COMPANY, As Successor in Interest to Amoco Production Company; Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company, L.P.; Chevron USA, Incorporated, As Successor in Interest to Chevron Oil Company, the California Company and Gulf Oil Corporation; Exxon Mobil Corporation, As Successor in Interest to The Superior Oil Company; Shell Offshore, Incorporated; Shell Oil Company; Chevron U.S.A. Holdings, Incorporated, As Successor in Interest to Texaco E&P Incorporated. And Texaco Incorporated; Texas Company; Chevron Pipe Line Company, As Successor in Interest to Gulf Refining Company, Defendants—Appellants, v. Parish of Cameron, Plaintiff—Appellee,

State of Louisiana, ex rel, on behalf of Jeff Landry; State of Louisiana, on behalf of Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, on behalf of Office of Coastal Management, on behalf of Thomas F. Harris, Intervenor Plaintiffs—Appellees, v. BP America Production Company; Chevron U.S.A. Incorporated, Own Capacity & as successor in interest, on behalf of California Company; Shell Oil Company; Swepi, L.P., Defendants—Appellants.

No. 23-30294

Decided: October 31, 2024

Before Davis, Engelhardt, and Oldham, Circuit Judges.*

Victor L. Marcello, Esq. (argued), Donald T. Carmouche, Talbot, Carmouche & Marcello, Baton Rouge, LA, Andre' Collins Gaudin, Esq., Burglass Tankersley Gaudin & Phayer, Metairie, LA, for Plaintiff-Appellee. David Alexander Peterson, Esq., Deputy General Counsel, Louisiana Attorney General's Office, Lands & Natural Resources Section/Civil Division, Baton Rouge, LA, Donald Wayne Price, Special Counsel, Department of Natural Resources for the State of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA, Ryan Michael Seidemann, Louisiana Department of Justice, Baton Rouge, LA, for Intervenor-Appellee Louisiana State. Donald Wayne Price, Special Counsel, Department of Natural Resources for the State of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA, Ryan Michael Seidemann, Louisiana Department of Justice, Baton Rouge, LA, for Intervenor-Appellee Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management, Thomas F. Harris, Secretary. George Arceneaux, III, Esq., Liskow & Lewis, Lafayette, LA, Jennifer Kwapisz, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, L.L.P., New York, NY, for Defendant-Appellant BP America Production Company. Deborah DeRoche Kuchler, Kuchler Polk Weiner, L.L.C, New Orleans, LA, for Defendant-Appellant Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company, L.P. Paul D. Clement (argued), Joseph DeMott, C. Harker Rhodes, IV, Clement & Murphy, P.L.L.C., Alexandria, VA, Peter D. Keisler, Esq., Jennifer Jo Clark, Sidley Austin, L.L.P., Washington, DC, Eric Julian Mayer, Alexandra Giselle White, Susman Godfrey, L.L.P., Houston, TX, for Defendant-Appellant Chevron USA, Incorporated. Robert Beattie McNeal, Esq., Liskow & Lewis, A.P.L.C., New Orleans, LA, for Defendant-Appellant Exxon Mobil Corporation. Russell Keith Jarrett, Esq., Attorney, Kelly Brechtel Becker, Esq., Liskow & Lewis, A.P.L.C., New Orleans, LA, David Charles Frederick, Daniel Severson, Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C., Washington, DC, for Defendants-Appellants Shell Offshore, Incorporated, Shell Oil Company. Peter D. Keisler, Esq., Jennifer Jo Clark, Sidley Austin, L.L.P., Washington, DC, Eric Julian Mayer, Alexandra Giselle White, Susman Godfrey, L.L.P., Houston, TX, for Defendants-Appellants Chevron U.S.A. Holdings, Incorporated, Chevron Pipe Line Company. Peter D. Keisler, Esq., Jennifer Jo Clark, Sidley Austin, L.L.P., Washington, DC, Alexandra Giselle White, Susman Godfrey, L.L.P., Houston, TX, for Defendant-Appellant Texas Company. Tristan Layle Duncan, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P., Kansas City, MO, Daniel Brandon Rogers, Esq., Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P., Miami, FL, Cary Silverman, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P., Washington, DC, for Amici Curiae Richard B. Myers, General, Michael G. Mullen, Admiral. William Christopher Pooser, Stoel Rives, L.L.P., Boise, ID, Jason T. Morgan, Stoel Rives, L.L.P., Seattle, WA, for Amici Curiae American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. Andrew Kim, William M. Jay, Goodwin Procter, L.L.P., Washington, DC, for Amici Curiae Chamber of Commerce for the United States of America, National Association of Manufacturers.