(a)  Whenever the director determines that there may be an imminent or substantial endangerment to the public health or welfare or to the environment, because of a release or a threatened release of a hazardous substance, the director may do any or all of the following:

(1)  Order any responsible party or parties to take or pay for appropriate removal or remedial action necessary to protect the public health and safety and the environment. No order under this section shall be made to an owner of real property solely on the basis of that ownership as specified in Sections 101(35) and 107(b) of the federal act (42 U.S.C. Secs. 9601(35) and 9607(b)). The director shall give the responsible party an opportunity to assert all defenses to the order.

(2)  Take or contract for any necessary removal or remedial action.

(3)  Request the Attorney General to secure such relief as may be necessary from the responsible party or parties to abate the danger or threat. The superior court of the county in which the threat or danger occurs shall have jurisdiction to grant the relief which the public interest and equities of the case may require to protect public health and welfare and the environment. Upon a showing by the department that a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance has occurred or is occurring, and that there may be an imminent or substantial endangerment to the public health and safety or to the environment, the court may grant a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction pursuant to subdivision (e).

(b)  When the director determines that a release of a hazardous substance has occurred or is about to occur, the director may do any or all of the following:

(1)  Undertake those investigations, monitoring, surveys, testing, and other information gathering necessary to identify the existence, source, nature, and extent of the hazardous substances involved and the extent of danger to the public health or environment.

(2)  Undertake those planning, legal, fiscal, economic, engineering, architectural, and other studies or investigations which are necessary or appropriate to plan and direct response actions, to recover the cost of those actions, and to enforce this chapter.

(c)  Whenever there is a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance into the environment, the director may take or contract for any necessary removal or remedial action and may take or contract for any actions authorized by subdivision (b), in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, including, but not limited to, subdivision (b) of Section 25355.

(d)  Any person bidding for a contract specified in subdivision (c) shall submit a disclosure statement, as specified by Section 25112.5, except for a federal, state, or local agency. The director may prohibit a person from bidding on such a contract if the director makes any of the following determinations:

(1)  The director determines, in writing, that the bidder, or, if the bidder is a business entity, any trustee, officer, director, partner, or any person holding more than 5 percent of the equity in or debt liability of that business entity, has engaged in activities resulting in any federal or state conviction which are significantly related to the fitness of the bidder to perform the bidder’s duties or activities under the contract. For purposes of this paragraph, “conviction” means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action that the department may take pursuant to this subdivision relating to the department’s refusal to permit a person to bid on the contract may be based upon a conviction for which any of the following has occurred:

(A)  The time for appeal has elapsed.

(B)  The judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal.

(C)  Any order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code permitting that person to withdraw the plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment.

(2)  The director determines, in writing, that the bidder, or, if the bidder is a business entity, any trustee, officer, director, partner, or any person holding more than 5 percent of the equity in or debt liability of that business entity, has violated or failed to comply with this chapter or Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 25100) or Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280) of this division, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq.), the Hazardous Materials Transportation Authorization Act of 1994, as amended (49 U.S.C. Sec. 5101 et seq.), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601 et seq.), the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 2601 et seq.), or any other equivalent federal or state statute or any requirement or regulation adopted pursuant thereto relating to the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, recycling, disposal, or handling of a hazardous waste, as defined in Section 25117, a hazardous substance, as defined in Section 25316, or a hazardous material, as defined in Section 353 of the Vehicle Code, if the violation or failure to comply shows a repeating or recurring pattern or may pose a threat to public health or safety or the environment.

(3)  The director determines, in writing, that the bidder has had a license, permit, or registration for the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, recycling, disposal, or handling of hazardous waste or hazardous substances revoked or suspended.

(e)  Whenever there is a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, the director may request the Attorney General to secure such relief as may be necessary from the responsible party or parties to abate the release or threatened release. The superior court of the county in which the release or threatened release occurs has jurisdiction to grant that relief which the public interest and equities of the case may require to protect the public health and safety and the environment. Upon a showing by the department that a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance has occurred or is occurring, and that there may be an imminent or substantial endangerment to the public health and safety or to the environment, the court may grant a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction.

(f)  Upon the failure of any person to comply with any order issued by the department pursuant to this section or Section 25355.5, the director may request the Attorney General to petition the superior court for the issuance of an injunction requiring that person to comply with the order. The superior court shall have jurisdiction to grant a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction.

(g)  In any civil action brought pursuant to this chapter in which a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction is sought, the department shall prove that the defendant is a responsible party and that there is a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance. It shall not be necessary to allege or prove at any stage of the proceeding that irreparable damage will occur should the temporary restraining order or the preliminary or permanent injunction not be issued, or that the remedy at law is inadequate; and the temporary restraining order or the preliminary or permanent injunction shall issue without those allegations and without that proof.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 23, Sec. 2. Effective May 26, 1999.)