(a) (1) The department or a unified program agency, in accordance with subdivision (l), may issue an order requiring that the violation be corrected and imposing an administrative penalty, for any violation of this chapter or any permit, rule, regulation, standard, or requirement issued or adopted pursuant to this chapter, whenever the department or unified program agency determines that a person has violated, is in violation of, or threatens, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 13304 of the Water Code, to violate, this chapter or Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300), or any permit, rule, regulation, standard, or requirement issued or adopted pursuant to this chapter or Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300).

(2) In an order proposing a penalty pursuant to this section, the department or unified program agency shall take into consideration the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the violation, the violator’s past and present efforts to prevent, abate, or clean up conditions posing a threat to the public health or safety or the environment, the violator’s ability to pay the proposed penalty, and the prophylactic effect that the imposition of the proposed penalty would have on both the violator and the regulated community as a whole.

(b) The department or a unified program agency, in accordance with subdivision (l), may issue an order requiring corrective action whenever the department or unified program agency determines that there is or has been a release, as defined in Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300), of hazardous waste or constituents into the environment from a hazardous waste facility.

(1) In the case of a release of hazardous waste or constituents into the environment from a hazardous waste facility that is required to obtain a permit pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 25200), the department shall pursue the remedies available under this chapter, including the issuance of an order for corrective action pursuant to this section, before using the legal remedies available pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300), except in any of the following circumstances:

(A) If the person who is responsible for the release voluntarily requests in writing that the department issue an order to that person to take corrective action pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300).

(B) If the person who is responsible for the release is unable to pay for the cost of corrective action to address the release. For purposes of this subparagraph, the inability of a person to pay for the cost of corrective action shall be determined in accordance with the policies of the Environmental Protection Agency for the implementation of Section 9605 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(C) If the person responsible for the release is unwilling to perform corrective action to address the release. For purposes of this subparagraph, the unwillingness of a person to take corrective action shall be determined in accordance with the policies of the Environmental Protection Agency for the implementation of Section 9605 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(D) If the release is part of a regional or multisite groundwater contamination problem that cannot, in its entirety, be addressed using the legal remedies available pursuant to this chapter and for which other releases that are part of the regional or multisite groundwater contamination problem are being addressed using the legal remedies available pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300).

(E) If an order for corrective action has already been issued against the person responsible for the release, or the department and the person responsible for the release have, prior to January 1, 1996, entered into an agreement to address the required cleanup of the release pursuant to Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300).

(F) If the hazardous waste facility is owned or operated by the federal government.

(2) The order shall include a requirement that the person take corrective action with respect to the release of hazardous waste or constituents, abate the effects thereof, and take any other necessary remedial action.

(3) If the order requires corrective action at a hazardous waste facility, the order shall require that corrective action be taken beyond the facility boundary, where necessary to protect human health or the environment.

(4) The order shall incorporate, as a condition of the order, any applicable waste discharge requirements issued by the State Water Resources Control Board or a California regional water quality control board, and shall be consistent with all applicable water quality control plans adopted pursuant to Section 13170 of the Water Code and Article 3 (commencing with Section 13240) of Chapter 4 of Division 7 of the Water Code and state policies for water quality control adopted pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 13140) of Chapter 3 of Division 7 of the Water Code existing at the time of the issuance of the order, to the extent that the department or unified program agency determines that those plans and policies are not less stringent than this chapter and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. The order may include any more stringent requirement that the department or unified program agency determines is necessary or appropriate to protect water quality.

(5) Persons who are subject to an order pursuant to this subdivision include present and prior owners, lessees, or operators of the property where the hazardous waste is located, present or past generators, storers, treaters, transporters, disposers, and handlers of hazardous waste, and persons who arrange, or have arranged, by contract or other agreement, to store, treat, transport, dispose of, or otherwise handle hazardous waste.

(6) For purposes of this subdivision, “hazardous waste facility” includes the entire site that is under the control of an owner or operator engaged in the management of hazardous waste.

(c) Any order issued pursuant to this section shall be served by personal service or certified mail and shall inform the person so served of the right to a hearing. If the unified program agency issues the order pursuant to this section, the order shall state whether the hearing procedure specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) may be requested by the person receiving the order.

(d) Any person served with an order pursuant to this section who has been unable to resolve any violation or deficiency on an informal basis with the department or unified program agency may, within 15 days after service of the order, request a hearing pursuant to subdivision (e) or (f) by filing with the department or unified program agency a notice of defense. The notice shall be filed with the office that issued the order. A notice of defense shall be deemed filed within the 15-day period provided by this subdivision if it is postmarked within that 15-day period. If a notice of defense is not filed within the time limits provided by this subdivision, the order shall become final.

(e) Any hearing requested on an order issued by the department shall be conducted within 90 days after receipt of the notice of defense by an administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings of the Department of General Services in accordance with Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the department shall have all the authority granted to an agency by those provisions.

(f) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2), a person requesting a hearing on an order issued by a unified program agency may select the hearing process specified in either paragraph (1) or (2) in the notice of defense filed with the unified program agency pursuant to subdivision (d). Within 90 days of receipt of the notice of defense by the unified program agency, the hearing shall be conducted using one of the following procedures:

(1) An administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings of the Department of General Services shall conduct the hearing in accordance with Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(2) (A) A hearing officer designated by the unified program agency shall conduct the hearing in accordance with Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the unified program agency shall have all the authority granted to an agency by those provisions. When a hearing is conducted by a unified program agency pursuant to this paragraph, the unified program agency shall, within 60 days of the hearing, issue a decision.

(B) A person requesting a hearing on an order issued by a unified program agency may select the hearing process specified in this paragraph in a notice of defense filed pursuant to subdivision (d) only if the unified program agency has, as of the date the order is issued pursuant to subdivision (c), selected a designated hearing officer and established a program for conducting a hearing in accordance with this paragraph.

(g) The hearing decision issued pursuant to subdivision (f) is effective and final upon issuance. Copies of the decision shall be served by personal service or by certified mail upon the party served with the order and upon other persons who appeared at the hearing and requested a copy.

(h) Any provision of an order issued under this section, except the imposition of an administrative penalty, takes effect upon issuance by the department or unified program agency if the department or unified program agency finds that the violation or violations of law associated with that provision may pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health or safety or the environment, and a request for a hearing shall not stay the effect of that provision of the order pending a hearing decision. However, if the department or unified program agency determines that any or all provisions of the order are so related that the public health or safety or the environment can be protected only by immediate compliance with the order as a whole, then the order as a whole, except the imposition of an administrative penalty, takes effect upon issuance by the department or unified program agency. A request for a hearing shall not stay the effect of the order as a whole pending a hearing decision.

(i) A decision issued pursuant to this section may be reviewed by the court pursuant to Section 11523 of the Government Code. In all proceedings pursuant to this section, the court shall uphold the decision of the department or unified program agency if the decision is based upon substantial evidence in the whole record. The filing of a petition for writ of mandate shall not stay any action required pursuant to this chapter or the accrual of any penalties assessed pursuant to this chapter. This subdivision does not prohibit the court from granting any appropriate relief within its jurisdiction.

(j) (1) All administrative penalties collected from actions brought by the department pursuant to this section shall be placed in a separate subaccount in the Toxic Substances Control Account and shall be available only for transfer to the Site Remediation Account or the Expedited Site Remediation Trust Fund and for expenditure by the department upon appropriation by the Legislature.

(2) The administrative penalties collected from an action brought by the department pursuant to Sections 25214.3, 25214.22.1, and 25215.82, in accordance with this section, shall be deposited in the Toxic Substances Control Account, for expenditure by the department for implementation and enforcement activities, upon appropriation by the Legislature, pursuant to Section 25173.6.

(k) All administrative penalties collected from an action brought by a unified program agency pursuant to this section shall be paid to the unified program agency that imposed the penalty, and shall be deposited into a special account that shall be expended to fund the activities of the unified program agency in enforcing this chapter pursuant to Section 25180.

(l) The authority granted under this section to a unified program agency is limited to both of the following:

(1) The issuance of orders to impose penalties and to correct violations of the requirements of this chapter and its implementing regulations, only when the violations are violations of requirements applicable to hazardous waste generators and persons operating pursuant to a permit-by-rule, conditional authorization, or conditional exemption, when the violations occur at a unified program facility within the jurisdiction of the CUPA.

(2) The issuance of orders to require corrective action when there has been a release of hazardous waste or constituents only when the unified program agency is authorized to do so pursuant to Section 25404.1.

(m) The CUPA shall annually submit a summary report to the department on the status of orders issued by the unified program agencies under this section and Section 25187.1.

(n) The CUPA shall consult with the district attorney for the county on the development of policies to be followed in exercising the authority delegated pursuant to this section and Section 25187.1, as they relate to the authority of unified program agencies to issue orders.

(o) The CUPA shall arrange to have appropriate legal representation in administrative hearings that are conducted by an administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings of the Department of General Services, and when a decision issued pursuant to this section is appealed to the superior court.

(p) The department may adopt regulations to implement this section and paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 25187.1 as they relate to the authority of unified program agencies to issue orders. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following requirements:

(1) Provisions to ensure coordinated and consistent application of this section and Section 25187.1 when both the department and the unified program agency have issued or will be issuing orders under one or both of these sections with regard to the same facility.

(2) Provisions to ensure that the enforcement authority granted to the unified program agencies will be exercised consistently throughout the state.

(3) Minimum training requirements for staff of the unified program agency relative to this section and Section 25187.1.

(4) Procedures to be followed by the department to rescind the authority granted to a unified program agency under this section and Section 25187.1, if the department finds that the unified program agency is not exercising that authority in a manner consistent with this chapter and Chapter 6.11 (commencing with Section 25404) and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(q) Except for an enforcement action taken pursuant to this chapter or Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300), this section does not otherwise affect the authority of a local agency to take any action under any other law.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 162. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.)