(a) The General Assembly recognizes that large quantities of hazardous substances are and have been generated, transported, treated, and stored within the State. The General Assembly also recognizes that some hazardous substances have been stored or disposed of at facilities in the State in a manner insufficient to protect public health or welfare or the environment. The General Assembly finds that the release of a hazardous substance constitutes an imminent threat to public health or welfare or the environment of the State. The General Assembly intends by the passage of this chapter to exercise the powers of the State to require prompt containment and removal of such hazardous substances, to eliminate or minimize the risk to public health or welfare or the environment, and to provide a fund for the cleanup of the facilities affected by the release of hazardous substances.

(b) The General Assembly finds that private parties should be provided with encouragement to exercise their responsibility to clean up the facilities for which they are responsible, but that if they refuse to do so, then the State should conduct the cleanup and recover the costs thereof from the private parties.

(c) The General Assembly recognizes the need to remedy contaminated facilities and to promote opportunities and provide incentives to encourage the remedy of such facilities to yield economic revitalization and redevelopment within the State.

(d) The General Assembly finds that in order to effectuate the purposes of this chapter to remedy contamination resulting from past acts and to address more equitably the issue of who should bear the costs of remediation, § 9105 of this title shall apply to all responsible parties without regard to the date of enactment of this chapter or any amendments thereto.

67 Del. Laws, c. 326, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 218, § 1.