For purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Department” means the Department of Toxic Substances Control.

(b) “Director” means the Director of Toxic Substances Control.

(c) “Hazardous substance” means any hazardous substance as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 25281, and any reference to hazardous substance in the definitions referenced in this section shall be deemed to refer to hazardous substance, as defined in this subdivision.

(d) “Local agency” means a single local agency that is one of the following:

(1) A local agency authorized pursuant to Section 25283 to implement Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280) of, and Chapter 6.75 (commencing with Section 25299.10) of, Division 20.

(2) A local officer who is authorized pursuant to Section 101087 to supervise a remedial action.

(3) An infrastructure and revitalization financing district created pursuant to Chapter 2.6 (commencing with Section 53369) or Chapter 2.10 (commencing with Section 53399) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code.

(e) “Qualified independent contractor” means an independent contractor who is any of the following:

(1) An engineering geologist who is certified pursuant to Section 7842 of the Business and Professions Code.

(2) A geologist who is registered pursuant to Section 7850 of the Business and Professions Code.

(3) A civil engineer who is registered pursuant to Section 6762 of the Business and Professions Code.

(f) “Release” means any release, as defined in Section 25320.

(g) “Remedy” or “remove” means any action to assess, evaluate, investigate, monitor, remove, correct, clean up, or abate a release of a hazardous substance or to develop plans for those actions. “Remedy” includes any action set forth in Section 25322 and “remove” includes any action set forth in Section 25323.

(h) “Responsible party” means any person described in subdivision (a) of Section 25323.5 of this code or subdivision (a) of Section 13304 of the Water Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 775, Sec. 2. (AB 229) Effective January 1, 2015.)