United States First Circuit

In a dispute over the extent of insurance coverage owed for an insured-party's strict liability for environmental cleanup costs which, under Massachusetts law, extend to property contaminated during previous land ownership, questions concerning allocation of liability are certified to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to determine the scope of the parties' disputed coverage. However, as to future costs, insurer cannot re-argue matters that have already been decided, and conversely, insured cannot properly seek to recover for future costs spent purely to remediate its own property where no threat exists of contamination outside the site.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/10/2008
• Published 06/10/2008

Judges

• Before BOUDIN and SELYA, Circuit Judges, and GELPI, District Judge.

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• David L. Elkind, Barry J. Fleishman, John A. Gibbons, Mark H. Kolman, Kenneth B. Trotter, Dickstein Shapiro LLP, Washington, DC, Martin C. Pentz, Foley Hoag LLP, Boston, MA, for Plaintiff, Appellee., Guy A. Cellucci, White & Williams LLP, Philadelphia, PA, David B. Chaffin, White and Williams LLP, Boston, MA, Barry H. Goldstein, Shane R. Heskin, Jeehae Jennifer Koh, O'Melveny & Myers, New York, NY, Paul R. Koepff, Brooklyn, NY, John A. Nadas, Choate, Hall & Stewart, Boston, MA, Laura A. Foggan, Wiley Rein LLP, Washington, DC, William P. Mekrut, Murphy & Riley, P.C., Boston, MA, James B. Conroy, Donnelly, Conroy, and Gelhaar, LLP, Boston, MA, George D. Kappus, John L. Rivkin, Alan S. Rutkin, Rivkin, Radler Bayh Hart & Kremer, Uniondale, NY, Steven G. Adams, Melito & Adolfsen P.C., New York, NY, Edward David Shoulkin, Taylor, Duane, Barton & Gilman, Boston, MA, Robert P. Firriolo, Thomas J. Quinn, Jr., Stephen T. Roberts, John McAndrews, Mendes & Mount, New York, NY, John T. Harding Boston, MA, Robert James Gilbert, Gilbert & Renton, Andover, MA, Eugene R. Anderson, Carrie Maylor, Anderson Kill & Olick, New York, NY, Amy Bach, Law Offices Of Amy Bach, Mill Valley, CA, for Defendant, Appellant.