(a) Each owner, operator, or other responsible party shall take corrective action in response to an unauthorized release in compliance with this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25299.3. In adopting corrective action regulations, the board shall develop corrective action requirements for health hazards and protection of the environment, based on the severity of the health hazards and the other factors listed in subdivision (b). The corrective action regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 25299.77 to implement Section 25299.37, as that section read on January 1, 2002, that were in effect before January 1, 2003, shall continue in effect on and after January 1, 2003, until revised by the board to implement this section and shall be deemed to have been adopted pursuant to Section 25299.3.

(b) Any corrective action conducted pursuant to this chapter shall ensure protection of human health, safety, and the environment. The corrective action shall be consistent with any applicable waste discharge requirements or other order issued pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code, all applicable 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, and 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.

(c) (1)  When a local agency, the board, or a regional board requires an owner, operator, or other responsible party to undertake corrective action, including preliminary site assessment and investigation, pursuant to an oral or written order, directive, notification, or approval issued pursuant to this section, or pursuant to a cleanup and abatement order or other oral or written directive issued pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code, the owner, operator, or other responsible party shall prepare a work plan that details the corrective action the owner, operator, or other responsible party shall take to comply with the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (b) and the corrective action regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25299.3.

(2) The work plan required by paragraph (1) shall be prepared in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25299.3. The work plan shall include a schedule and timeline for corrective action.

(3) At the request of the owner, operator, or other responsible party, the local agency, the board, or the regional board shall review a work plan prepared pursuant to paragraph (1) and either accept the work plan, if it meets the requirements of the section, or disapprove the work plan if it does not meet those requirements. If the local agency, board, or the regional board accepts the work plan, it shall indicate to the owner, operator, or other responsible party, the actions or other elements of the work plan that are, in all likelihood, adequate and necessary to meet the requirements of this section, and the actions and elements that may be unnecessary. If the local agency, board, or regional board disapproves the work plan, it shall state the reasons for the disapproval.

(4) In the interests of minimizing environmental contamination and promoting prompt cleanup, the responsible party may begin implementation of the proposed action after the work plan has been submitted but before the work plan has received regulatory agency acceptance, except that implementation of the work plan may not begin until 60 calendar days from the date of submittal, unless the responsible party is otherwise directed in writing by the regulatory agency. However, before beginning implementation pursuant to this paragraph, the responsible party shall notify the regulatory agency of the intent to initiate proposed actions set forth in the submitted work plan.

(5) The owner, operator, or other responsible party shall conduct corrective actions in accordance with the work plan approved pursuant to this section.

(6) When the local agency, the board, or the regional board requires a responsible party to conduct corrective action pursuant to this section, it shall inform the responsible party of its right to request the designation of an administering agency to oversee the site investigation and remedial action at its site pursuant to Section 25262 and, if requested to do so by the responsible party, the local agency shall provide assistance to the responsible party in preparing and processing a request for that designation.

(d) (1) This subdivision applies only to an unauthorized release from a petroleum underground storage tank that is subject to Chapter 6.75 (commencing with Section 25299.10).

(2) Notwithstanding Section 25297.1, the board shall implement a procedure that does not assess an owner, operator, or responsible party taking corrective action pursuant to this chapter for the costs of a local oversight program pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 25297.1. The board shall institute an internal procedure for assessing, reviewing, and paying those costs directly between the board and the local agency.

(e) A person to whom an order is issued pursuant to subdivision (c), shall have the same rights of administrative and judicial appeal and review as are provided by law for cleanup and abatement orders issued pursuant to Section 13304 of the Water Code.

(f) (1) If a person to whom an order is issued pursuant to subdivision (c) does not comply with the order, the board, a regional board, or the local agency may undertake or contract for corrective action.

(2) The board, a regional board, or local agency shall be permitted reasonable access to property owned or possessed by an owner, operator, or responsible party as necessary to perform corrective action pursuant to this subdivision. The access shall be obtained with the consent of the owner or possessor of the property or, if the consent is withheld, with a warrant duly issued pursuant to the procedure described in Title 13 (commencing with Section 1822.50) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. However, if there is an emergency affecting public health or safety, or the environment, the board, a regional board, or local agency may enter the property without consent or the issuance of a warrant.

(3) The board, a regional board, or local agency may recover its costs incurred under this subdivision pursuant to Section 13304 of the Water Code. If the unauthorized release is from an underground storage tank that is subject to Chapter 6.75 (commencing with Section 25299.10), the board, a regional board, or local agency may also recover its costs pursuant to Section 25299.70.

(g) The following uniform closure letter shall be issued to the owner, operator, or other responsible party taking corrective action at an underground storage tank site by the local agency or the regional board with jurisdiction over the site, or the board, upon a finding that the underground storage tank site is in compliance with the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (b) and with any corrective action regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25299.3 and that no further corrective action is required at the site:

“[Case File Number]

Dear [Responsible Party]

This letter confirms the completion of a site investigation and corrective action for the underground storage tank(s) formerly located at the above-described location. Thank you for your cooperation throughout this investigation. Your willingness and promptness in responding to our inquiries concerning the former underground storage tank(s) are greatly appreciated.

Based on information in the above-referenced file and with the provision that the information provided to this agency was accurate and representative of site conditions, this agency finds that the site investigation and corrective action carried out at your underground storage tank(s) site is in compliance with the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 25296.10 of the Health and Safety Code and with corrective action regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25299.3 of the Health and Safety Code and that no further action related to the petroleum release(s) at the site is required.

This notice is issued pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 25296.10 of the Health and Safety Code.

Please contact our office if you have any questions regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

[Name of Board Executive Director, Regional Board Executive Officer, or Local Agency Director]”

(h) Any order, directive, notification, or approval issued under Section 25299.37 as that section read on January 1, 2002, that was issued on or before January 1, 2003, shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant to this section.

(i) On or after January 1, 2012, uniform closure letters issued pursuant to subdivision (g) shall include language notifying the owner, operator, or other responsible party of the 365-day claim filing deadline specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (l) of Section 25299.57.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 571, Sec. 2. (AB 358) Effective October 8, 2011.)