CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU v. SUNOCO LP

SCAP-22-0000429.

537 P.3d 1173 (2023)

CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU and Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. SUNOCO LP; Aloha Petroleum, Ltd.; Aloha Petroleum LLC; Exxon Mobil Corporation; ExxonMobil Oil Corporation; Royal Dutch Shell PLC; Shell Oil Company; Shell Oil Products Company LLC; Chevron Corporation; Chevron U.S.A. Inc.; BHP Hawaii Inc.; BP PLC; BP America Inc.; Marathon Petroleum Corporation; ConocoPhillips; ConocoPhillips Company; Phillips 66; and Phillips 66 Company, Defendants-Appellants, and BHP Group Limited and BHP Group PLC, Defendants-Appellees.

Supreme Court of Hawai`i.

October 31, 2023.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr. ,* Joshua D. Dick ,* Melvyn M. Miyagi , Ross T. Shinyama , Summer H. Kaiawe , Honolulu, Andrea E. Neuman ,* and Erica W. Harris ,* for appellants Chevron Corporation and Chevron U.S.A., Inc.

C. Michael Heihre , Michi Momose , J. Scott Janoe ,* Honolulu, Megan Berge ,* and Sterling Marchand ,* for appellants Sunoco LP, Aloha Petroleum, Ltd., and Aloha Petroleum LLC.

Paul Alston , John-Anderson L. Meyer , Claire Wong Black , Glenn T. Melchinger , Honolulu, Theodore V. Wells, Jr. ,* Daniel J. Toal ,* and Yahonnes Cleary ,* for appellants Exxon Mobil Corporation and ExxonMobil Oil Corporation.

Joachim P. Cox , Randall C. Whattoff , David C. Frederick ,* James M. Webster III ,* and Daniel S. Severson ,* for appellants Shell plc (f/k/a Royal Dutch Shell plc), Shell U.S.A. Inc. (f/k/a Shell Oil Company), and Shell Oil Products Company LLC.

Margery S. Bronster , Lanson K. Kupau , Honolulu, Kelly A. Higa Brown , Victor L. Hou ,* and Boaz S. Morag ,* for appellants Woodside Energy Hawaii Inc. (f/k/a BHP Hawaii Inc.) and appellee BHP Group Limited.

Lisa A. Bail , David J. Hoftiezer , Honolulu, Jonathan W. Hughes ,* Matthew T. Heartney ,* and John D. Lombardo ,* for appellants BP plc and BP America Inc.

Ted N. Pettit , Honolulu, Shannon S. Broome ,* Shawn Patrick Regan ,* and Anne Marie Mortimer ,* For appellants Marathon Petroleum Corporation.

Crystal K. Rose , Adrian L. Lavarias , Honolulu, Sharon Paris , Jameson R. Jones ,* Daniel R. Brody ,* Steven M. Bauer ,* Margaret A. Tough ,* and Katherine A. Rouse ,* for appellants ConocoPhillips, ConocoPhillips Company.

Crystal K. Rose , Adrian L. Lavarias , Honolulu, Sharon Paris , Steven M. Bauer ,* Margaret A. Tough ,* and Katherine A. Rouse ,* for appellants Phillips 66 and Phillips 66 Company.

Victor M. Sher ,* Dana M.O. Viola , Robert M. Kohn , Nicolette Winter , Jeff A. Lau , Matthew K. Edling ,* Corrie J. Yackulic ,* and Stephanie D. Biehl ,* for appellees City and County of Honolulu and Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Anne E. Lopez , Ewan C. Rayner , for amicus curiae, Department of Attorney General.

Tara A. Buckley , for amicus curiae, Hawai`i State Association of Counties.

Chase H. Livingston , for amicus curiae, Legal Scholars.

Mark M. Murakami , Honolulu, for amicus curiae, Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America.

RECKTENWALD, C.J., McKENNA, AND EDDINS, JJ., CIRCUIT JUDGE JOHNSON AND CIRCUIT JUDGE TONAKI, ASSIGNED BY REASON OF VACANCIES, AND EDDINS, J., CONCURRING.


I. INTRODUCTION

The City and County of Honolulu and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply (collectively, Plaintiffs) brought suit against a number of oil and gas producers1 (collectively, Defendants) alleging five counts: public nuisance, private nuisance, strict liability...

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