(a) The administering agency for a hazardous materials release site shall supervise all aspects of a site investigation and remedial action conducted by the responsible party and, for that purpose, the administering agency shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, including, but not limited to, this division and Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code, have sole jurisdiction over all activities that may be required to carry out a site investigation and remedial action necessary to respond to the hazardous materials release at the site. For purposes of this chapter, the administering agency shall do all of the following:
(1) Administer all state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards that are applicable to, and govern, the activities involved with the site investigation and remedial action at the site.
(2) Determine the adequacy of site investigation and remedial action activities at the site and the extent to which the activities comply, or fail to comply, with applicable state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards. In making these determinations, the administering agency shall consult with the advisory team if one has been convened pursuant to Section 25263.
(3) Issue permits or other forms of authorization that may be required by state and local laws, ordinances, and regulations and that are necessary to undertake activities related to the site investigation and remedial action at the site. Before issuing a permit or other authorization pursuant to this paragraph, the administering agency shall consult with the appropriate agency and ensure that required procedures are followed and adequate permit requirements and conditions are imposed.
(b) Upon determining that a site investigation and remedial action at a hazardous materials release site has been satisfactorily completed and that a permanent remedy to the release has been accomplished, the administering agency shall issue the responsible party a certificate of completion. The certificate shall describe the release of hazardous materials that was the subject of the remedial action and the remedial action that was taken and shall certify that applicable remedial action standards and objectives were achieved.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 25265 and this subdivision, the issuance of a certificate of completion by the administering agency shall constitute a determination that the responsible party has complied with the requirements of all state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards that are applicable to the site investigation and remedial action for which the certificate is issued.
Except as provided in Section 25265, no agency, other than the administering agency, that has jurisdiction over hazardous materials releases pursuant to those state and local laws, ordinances, or regulations may take action against the responsible party with respect to the hazardous materials release that was the subject of the site investigation and remedial action for which a certificate of completion is issued and the administering agency may take action against the responsible party with respect to the hazardous materials release that was the subject of the site investigation and remedial action for which a certificate of completion is issued only if the administering agency determines that one or more of the following applies:
(1) Monitoring, testing, or analysis of the hazardous materials release site subsequent to the issuance of the certificate of completion indicates that the remedial action standards and objectives were not achieved or are not being maintained.
(2) One or more of the conditions, restrictions, or limitations imposed on the site as part of the remedial action or certificate of completion are violated.
(3) Site monitoring or operation and maintenance activities that are required as part of the remedial action or certificate of completion for the site are not adequately funded or are not properly carried out.
(4) A hazardous materials release is discovered at the site that was not the subject of the site investigation and remedial action for which the certificate of completion was issued.
(5) A material change in the facts known to the administering agency at the time the certificate of completion was issued, or new facts, causes the administering agency to find that further site investigation and remedial action are required in order to prevent a significant risk to human health and safety or to the environment.
(6) The responsible party induced the administering agency to issue the certificate of completion by fraud, negligent or intentional nondisclosure of information, or misrepresentation.
(d) (1) Except as provided in Section 25265, the administering agency shall be the sole agency responsible for determining if any of the conditions described in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (c) are applicable to a hazardous materials release site for which a certificate of completion has been issued pursuant to subdivision (b), and for taking any action that is deemed necessary if that determination is made. Any agency, other than the administering agency, that has information that any of those conditions applies to the hazardous materials site shall provide the administering agency with that information and the administering agency shall, within 45 calendar days of receipt of the request, do all of the following:
(A) Determine whether the condition is applicable.
(B) If it is applicable, determine if further action at the site is warranted.
(C) If further action is warranted, take further action at the site as may be necessary.
(2) If the administering agency fails, or refuses, to act properly or in a timely manner, as required by this subdivision, the agency that provided the information to the administering agency may petition the committee for review in accordance with Section 25265. The decision of the committee shall be final, and shall not be subject to judicial review.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 548, Sec. 1. Effective October 7, 2001.)