The General Assembly finds and declares that it is in the best interests of the people of Delaware that small retail gasoline station owners and operators continue to maintain their economic viability, while taking the remedial and preventive measures necessary to protect Delaware's environment and to comply with this subchapter and other State and federal environmental protection laws. The General Assembly further finds that such station owners and operators are often unable to obtain financing for needed remedial and preventive measures in the private financing market, and accordingly it is necessary for the State to provide affordable financing if the public interest is to be protected. Therefore, there shall be established in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (“Department”) a loan assistance program, the purpose of which is provide loans to small retail gasoline station owners and operators (“small stations”) to carry out the following activities necessary to comply with State and federal environmental laws:
(1) Installation of air quality protection devices; and/or
(2) Replacement of existing underground storage tank systems; and/or
(3) Removal and abandonment of underground storage tank systems; and/or
(4) Installation of water quality protection devices.