Griffith v. New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.

The plaintiffs’ action under G. L. c. 21E (1992 ed.), the Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention Act, against the defendant was previously before us. See Griffith v. New England Tel. & Tel. Co., 414 Mass. 824, 825-827 (1993) (Griffith I). There a judge in the Superior Court had held that the defendant was the “operator of *366... a site from or at which there is or has been a release . . . of oil or hazardous material,” and ordered the defendant to pay the plaintiffs $461,266 for cleanup costs. See G. L. c. 2IE, § 5 (a) (1). The Appeals Court affirmed. Griffith v. New England…