SANTUCCI, MINORS, EDWARD J. SCANLON, HEATHER V. SCANLON, HEATHER V. SCANLON, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR CHAD SCANLON, DIERDRE LEARY AND DREW LEARY, MINORS, JAMES F. SMITH, JR., MARGARET SMITH, MARIE SMITH, JAMES F. SMITH, JR. AND MARIE SMITH, AS GUARDIANS AD LITEM FOR DONNA SMITH, A MINOR, RICHARD SPAFFORD, SUSAN SPAFFORD, SUSAN SPAFFORD, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR RICHARD SPAFFORD, JR., RONALD SPAFFORD AND WENDI SPAFFORD, MINORS, BERTHA B. TIER, JOHN E. TIER, CHRISTOPHER VANDERKAM, MARK E. VANDERKAM, PATRICIA VANDERKAM, EDWARD VANDERKAM, MARK E. VANDERKAM, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR LYNN VANDERKAM WAGNER, A MINOR, BENJAMIN WEDEKIND, FRANK WEDEKIND, KEVIN WEDEKIND, MARY WEDEKIND, KURT WEDEKIND, PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS,
v.
EXXON CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY DOING BUSINESS AS EXXON CO., USA; INNCO FUELS, INC., A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; CONWAY AUTO, INC., A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; RICHARD E. RITCHIE AND SUSAN M. RITCHIE, TRADING AS LACEY EXXON; LACEY TOWNSHIP, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY; POINT BAY FUEL, INC., A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AUTHORITY; JERSEY CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; CHARLOTTE W. RULE; KALSCH-FORTE OIL CO., INC., A/K/A K-FORTE OIL CO., A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; "JOHN DOE" DEFENDANTS B THROUGH Z; "JOHN DOE" DEFENDANTS 4 THROUGH 10; * * "JOHN ROE"; DEFENDANTS A THROUGH Z; "JOHN ROE" DEFENDANTS 1 THROUGH 10, * * RULES TEXACO, INC., DEFENDANTS, AND TEXACO REFINING AND MARKETING INC., IMPROPERLY DESIGNATED AS TEXACO CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE; DONALD W. RULE, IMPROPERLY IMPLEADED AS THE ESTATE OF DONALD W. RULE, T/A RULE'S SERVICE STATION, DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS. The Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Argued October 10, 1995. Decided July 9, 1996. *147 Alan H. Sklarsky argued the cause for appellants (Tomar, Simonoff, Adourian, O'Brien, Kaplan, Jacoby & Graziano and *148 Valore Law Firm, attorneys; Mr. Sklarsky and Carl J. Valore, on the briefs).
James Crawford Orr argued the cause for respondent Texaco Refining and Marketing Inc. (Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, attorneys; Mr. Orr and Joseph A. Gallo, on the briefs).
Donald W. Rule submitted a letter in lieu of brief pro se joining in the brief submitted by respondent Texaco Refining and Marketing Inc.
Michael D. Loprete submitted a brief on behalf of amicus curiae The American Petroleum Institute (Crummy, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione, attorneys; Richard E. Wallace, Jr., a member of the District of Columbia bar and Alan M. Grimaldi, a member of the Maryland bar, of counsel).
Steven J. Picco submitted a brief on behalf of amicus curiae New Jersey Fuel Merchants Association (Picco Herbert Kennedy, attorneys; Mr. Picco, Stacy Cohen and Diane A. Davis, on the brief).
*145
The opinion of the Court was delivered by POLLOCK, J.
This appeal raises the issue whether an oil company should be liable for groundwater contamination because of the activities of an independently-owned and operated gas station that sold the oil company's