Opinion ID: 2307532
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Allocation of Costs and Restitution

Text: Liberty next takes issue with the court's allocation of proportional responsibility for the costs of remediation, which resulted in a finding that Liberty was liable for 92.437% of the costs of remediation, and Continental was responsible for 7.563%. As noted, the liability percentages derived by the court were based upon the respective percentages of the total release of petroleum attributable to the initial and subsequent petroleum releases. The court's calculations flowed logically from its reasoning and findings, which were based in turn upon credible evidence; they cannot, therefore, be disturbed. See id. Nor did the court clearly err, as Liberty contends, in failing to make a separate restitution award of $39,291.50 based upon GTI's estimate of the costs attributable to the 1987 and 1989 releases which Liberty paid prior to 1991. The trial court, as noted, found that Liberty was entitled to a total restitution award of $189,526, which plainly included the $39,291 in costs calculated by GTI. There was no error. Liberty also contends the court erred in ordering that the $189,718 paid by Continental toward remediation of the site, pursuant to its settlement with the State, be set off against Liberty's restitution award of $189,526. The setoff, however, was entirely consistent with the court's finding concerning the respective liabilities of Liberty and Continental. The fact that the court rejected Continental's cross-claims against Liberty did not undermine the court's broad authority to award the setoff. See Jensvold v. Town & Country Motors, Inc., 162 Vt. 580, 584, 649 A.2d 1037, 1041 (1994) (court has broad discretion to award setoff under general equitable principles). Moreover, in its settlement with the State, Continental expressly reserved its right to seek reimbursement from Liberty. Accordingly, we find no error.