§ 23-19.14-6. Liability for releases of hazardous materials. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision or rule of law, and subject only to the defenses presented in § 23-19.14-7, the state reaffirms the applicable provisions of 19.1 of this title, § 42-17.1-2, chapter 12 and chapter 13.1 of title 46 and defines the following parties as responsible parties which are strictly, jointly and severally liable for the actual or threatened release of any hazardous material at a site:

(1) The owner or operator of the site;

(2) Any person who at the time of disposal of any hazardous material owned or operated the site;

(3) Any person who by contract, agreement, or otherwise arranged for disposal or treatment, or arranged with a transporter for transport for disposal or treatment of hazardous materials owned or possessed by that person, at any site owned or operated by another party or entity and containing hazardous materials; and

(4) Any person who accepts or accepted any hazardous materials for transport to disposal or treatment facilities or sites selected by that person, from which there is a release or a threatened release of a hazardous material which causes the incurrence of response costs.

(b) Responsible parties as defined in this section shall be liable for:

(1) All removal or remedial actions necessary to rectify the effects of a release of hazardous material so that it does not cause a substantial danger to present or future public health or welfare or the environment;

(2) All costs of removal or remedial action incurred by the state including direct costs, indirect costs and the costs of overseeing response actions conducted by private parties;

(3) Any other necessary costs of removal or remedial action incurred by any other person; and

(4) Damages for injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources, including the reasonable costs of assessing the injury, destruction, or loss resulting from a release of hazardous material.

History of Section. (P.L. 1995, ch. 187, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 41, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 60, § 1.)