William Sciscoe, Denise Sciscoe, Eric Dow, Angela Dow, Robert Draper, Michelle Draper, John Harris, Kimberly Harris, Charles Pegg, Geraldine Pegg, Cody Petree, Alice Randall, Johnny Reames, Jeannette Reames, Margaret Wagner, Jane Wagner, and Town of DISH v. Enbridge Gathering (North Texas) L.P., Atmos Energy Corporation, Energy Transfer Fuel, L.P., Enterprise Texas Pipeline, L.L.C., Texas Midstream Gas Services, L.L.C.
ACCEPTED
07-13-00391-CV
SEVENTH COURT OF APPEALS
AMARILLO, TEXAS
6/29/2015 1:33:31 PM
Vivian Long, Clerk
No. 07-13-00391-CV
FILED IN
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS 7th COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICTAMARILLO, TEXAS
AMARILLO, TEXAS 6/29/2015 1:33:31 PM
VIVIAN LONG
CLERK
TOWN OF DISH, WILLIAM SCISCOE, DENISE SCISCOE, ERIC DOW,
ANGELA DOW, ROBERT DRAPER, MICHELLE DRAPER, JOHN HARRIS,
KIMBERLY HARRIS, CHARLES PEGG, GERALDINE PEGG, CODY
PETREE, ALICE RANDALL, JOHNNY REAMES, JEANETTE REAMES,
MARGARET H. WAGNER, JANE WAGNER, TIM ZIMMERMAN, AND
TRACY ZIMMERMAN
Appellants,
v.
ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION, ENBRIDGE GATHERING (NORTH
TEXAS) L.P., ENERGY TRANSFER FUEL, L.P., ENTERPRISE TEXAS
PIPELINE LLC, AND TEXAS MIDSTREAM GAS SERVICES, L.L.C.
Appellees.
Appeal from the 96th District Court
Tarrant County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 96-254364-11
APPELLEE ENTERPRISE TEXAS PIPELINE LLC’S
MOTION FOR REHEARING
___________________________________________________________________
TO THE HONORABLE SEVENTH COURT OF APPEALS:
Appellee Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC files this Motion for Rehearing.
1
I. ISSUES FOR REHEARING
1) Did the Court err in holding that the Appellants preserved their issues
on appeal as against Enterprise because the Appellants never addressed
Enterprise’s no-evidence grounds in the trial court?
2) Did the Court err in holding that the Appellants preserved their issues
on appeal as against Enterprise because the Appellants never addressed
Enterprise’s no-evidence grounds in this Court?
II. ARGUMENTS AND AUTHORITIES
A. Enterprise Should Not Be “Lumped” In With Other
Defendants/Appellees
During the entirety of this case, Appellants have attempted to “lump”
Enterprise in with the other defendants/appellees regarding the operation of
compressor stations. But the evidence in this case shows that Enterprise does not
operate a compressor station; it operates a metering station. The only evidence in
the record shows that Enterprise’s metering station is a closed-in system that does
not have emissions. Its metering station is also not even located at the same site as
the compressor stations. Appellants offered no evidence that would contradict
these facts, nor any evidence that the Enterprise metering station, in particular, is a
contributor to the alleged nuisance or trespass. Moreover, Enterprise is
2
procedurally very different. Enterprise is the only defendant to allege no-evidence
grounds on elements such as causation.
In reversing the trial court’s correct summary judgment for Enterprise, this
Court has erred in following the Appellants’ lead in improperly “lumping” all of
the defendants/appellees together. Each defendant/appellee is entitled to an
independent review of the case, the briefing, and the evidence as against that
defendant/appellee. This Court does not have to change its decision on the merits
of the underlying issues to grant Enterprise a rehearing and affirm summary
judgment for Enterprise. Enterprise’s cross-issues are meritful, and this Court
should affirm the trial court’s judgment for Enterprise.
B. Court Should Affirm The Judgment For Enterprise Because The
Appellants Did Not Address Enterprise’s No-Evidence Grounds In The
Trial Court
In the trial court, Appellants failed to argue Enterprise’s Rule 166a(i) motion
or direct the trial court to evidence in support of the challenged elements of
Appellants’ causes of action. A non-movant must specify the evidence it is relying
upon and direct the court’s attention to that evidence. See Estate of Bradburn v.
Sawko, No. 2-02-192-CV, 2003 Tex. App. LEXIS 5005 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth
June 12, 2003, no pet.); McClure v. Atteburry, 20 S.W.3d 722 (Tex. App.—
Amarillo 1999, no pet.). Enterprise properly challenged Appellants’ claims for
nuisance and trespass via no-evidence grounds (3 C.R. 539).
3
There are no portions of the Appellants’ response that specifically addressed
how any of the evidence presented by Appellants would tend to show that
Enterprise engaged in any action or created any condition that correlates with the
elements challenged by Enterprise’s Rule 166a(i) motion (4 C.R. 858 – 1012).
Therefore, Appellants waived any error regarding the trial court granting
Enterprise’s no-evidence motion for summary judgment, and this Court should
affirm that judgment.
This Court stated in its opinion that Appellants attached evidence that
created a fact question. First, it is not fair to the trial court to reverse its judgment
based on evidence that the Appellees did not cite to the trial court. Second, the
evidence does not show what this Court reported that it did. Enterprise
respectfully seeks clarification on which specific portions of the record provides
evidence of causation or damages as it relates to Enterprise. The only specific
mention of Enterprise in the record is a reference in the Wolf Eagle report that in
2009 several metering stations were constructed, one of which is owned by
Enterprise (4 C.R. 894). This was entirely insufficient to satisfy the elements of
the plaintiffs’ causes of action that Enterprise challenged. Moreover, the opinion
refers to evidence that is not in the record. Specifically, in footnote 2 of the
opinion, the Court states that Enterprise’s metering station “has a mechanism for
releasing gas into the air.” Not only is this not in the record, it is not true. To the
4
contrary, the only evidence in the appellate record is Enterprise’s affidavit, which
shows that the Enterprise metering station does not include pressure-relief valves
that relieve pressure by venting gas into the atmosphere (3 C.R. 549). It is a
closed-in system.
Furthermore, Enterprise has affirmatively established through evidence that
the Station’s operations: do not include regular traffic from large trucks or tractor-
trailers (3 C.R. 548); do not include odorized gas (3 C.R. 549); do not include
pressure-relief valves that relieve pressure by venting gas into the atmosphere (3
C.R. 549); do not include diesel engines (3 C.R. 548); do not include sounds that
are audible offsite as a part of its regular operations (3 C.R. 548-49); and involve
sweet natural gas that does not contain the allegedly dangerous compounds about
which Appellants complain (3 C.R. 570). Therefore, there is certainly no evidence
in the record to support several elements of the Appellants’ causes of action. In
fact, the only evidence in the record contradicts those elements. Even if this Court
chose to look at evidence never cited to the trial court regarding Enterprise, this
Court should affirm the trial court’s judgment for Enterprise.
C. Court Should Affirm The Judgment For Enterprise Because The
Appellants Did Not Address Enterprise’s No-Evidence Grounds In This
Court
This Court should affirm the trial court’s grant of summary judgment for
Enterprise because of unassigned error. It is black letter law in Texas that the party
5
challenging a trial court’s judgment or order has the duty to challenge all potential
grounds that would sustain the judgment or order. Here, the trial court
unequivocally granted summary judgment for Enterprise on its traditional and no-
evidence motions for summary judgment (4 C.R. 1013). On appeal, Appellants
presented six discreet and specific issues (Appellants’ Br. at 6). None of these
issues presents purported error with regard to the trial court’s grant of Enterprise’s
no-evidence motion for summary judgment (Appellants’ Br. at 6). Appellants also
neglect to brief Enterprise’s no-evidence grounds in their argument section.
Accordingly, Appellants waived those issues on appeal, and this Court should have
summarily affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment for Enterprise
based upon unassigned error.
This Court stated in footnote 16: “Every issue raised in Enterprise’s
Traditional and No-Evidence Motion for Summary Judgment has been addressed
and refuted.” That is the sum of this Court’s analysis of Enterprise’s second
waiver issue. The Court’s analysis is contrary to the rule that an appellate court
must address every issue raised and necessary to final disposition of the appeal.
See Tex. R. App. P. 47.1. See also State Bar of Texas v. Evans, 774 S.W.2d 656,
658-59 n. 6 (Tex. 1989). Enterprise respectfully requests the Court to review the
Appellants’ briefing and identify where Enterprise’s no-evidence motion for
summary judgment was mentioned in a point of error (issue) or in the argument.
6
Further, Enterprise requests that this Court find that Appellants waived their appeal
as against Enterprise by failing to adequately challenge Enterprise’s grounds for
summary judgment on appeal.
D. Incorporation Of Other Appellees’ Motions For Rehearing
Pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.7, Enterprise adopts and
incorporates by reference the issues, arguments, case law, and evidence set forth
and referenced in any other Appellees’ motion for rehearing as if fully set forth
herein.
III. CONCLUSION
Accordingly, Appellee Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC requests that this
Court grant this Motion for Rehearing and requests that this Court affirm the trial
court’s summary judgment in all things as to Enterprise, and requests that this
Court award any and all other relief to which it is entitled in either law or equity.
7
Respectfully submitted,
WINSTEAD PC
/s/ David F. Johnson
David F. Johnson
State Bar No. 24002357
dfjohnson@winstead.com
Joseph P. Regan
State Bar No. 24037343
jregan@winstead.com
777 Main Street, Suite 1100
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
(817) 420-8200 – Telephone
(817) 420-8201 – Facsimile
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
ENTERPRISE TEXAS PIPELINE LLC
8
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
Pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.4(i)(4), I hereby certify that
the above styled document contains 1,679 words. Counsel is relying on a word
count computer program used to prepare the document. Appellees have filed a
motion for permission to extend the word count limits.
/s/ David F. Johnson
David F. Johnson
9
CERTIFICATE OF FILING AND SERVICE
The undersigned hereby certifies that on the 29th day of June, 2015, a true
and correct copy of the foregoing is being electronically filed with the Seventh
Court of Texas and served via electronic service on all parties or their attorneys of
record listed below pursuant to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure:
Kirk Claunch Karen S. Precella
James D. Piel Haynes & Boone, LLP
Jim Claunch 201 Main Street, Suite 2200
The Claunch Law Firm Fort Worth, TX 76102
2912 West Sixth Street Attorneys for Appellee Enbridge
Fort Worth, TX 76107 Gathering (North Texas), L.P.
Attorneys for Appellants
Roger C. Diseker Samara L. Kline
Bart A. Rue Jonathan B. Rubenstein
Clark H. Rucker Hunter Allen
Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP Carlos Romo
201 Main Street, Suite 2500 Baker Botts, L.L.P.
Fort Worth, TX 76102 2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 600
Attorneys for Appellee Texas Dallas, TX 75201
Midstream Gas Services, L.L.C. Attorneys for Appellee Atmos
Energy Corporation
Andrew Szygenda
Thomas F. Lillard
Robert K. Wise
Lillard Wise Szygenda, PLLC
5949 Sherry Lane, Suite 1255
Dallas, TX 75225
Attorneys for Appellee Energy
Transfer Fuel, L.P.
/s/ David F. Johnson
One of Counsel
10