Newell v. Weston

At issue in this case is whether a lessee of real property may be held liable for environmental remediation costs and other damages resulting from gasoline discharges and spills from an underground storage tank that occurred during the time that the lessee occupied the premises. Plaintiff, the lessor, contends that he is entitled to recover those costs from defendant, 1 the lessee, based on theories of statutory strict liability and breach of contract. The trial court concluded that plaintiff is entitled to recover from defendant his remediation costs under the strict liability statute, but…