Title HSC, California Health & Safety Code

“Agency” means the department, the board, or a regional board. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, with continuing effect as provided in Section 25395.110.)

“All appropriate inquiries” has the following meanings: (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), until the date when the standards and practices established by the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Section 101(35)(B)(ii) of the feder…

“Applicable law” means all of the provisions of the following state statutory and common laws that impose liability on an owner or occupant of property for pollution conditions caused by a release or threatened release of hazardous material on, under, or adjacent to the property:…

“Appropriate care” means either of the following: (a) The performance of a response action, with respect to hazardous materials found at a site, for which the agency makes the determination specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 25395.96 and that meets all of th…

“Board” means the State Water Resources Control Board. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, with continuing effect as provided in Section 25395.110.)

(a) “Bona fide purchaser” means a person, or a tenant of a person, who acquires ownership of a site on or after January 1, 2005, and who establishes all of the following by a preponderance of the evidence: (1) All releases of the hazardous materials at issue at the site occurred …

(a) “Contiguous property owner” means a person who owns a site that is adjacent to or otherwise similarly situated with respect to another site that is, or may be, contaminated by a release or threatened release of a hazardous material and that is not owned by that person, and wh…

“Department” means the Department of Toxic Substances Control. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, with continuing effect as provided in Section 25395.110.)

“Endangerment” means a condition that poses an actual and unreasonable risk to human health and safety arising from actual or threatened exposure to hazardous materials. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to…

“Fair market value” means the price a seller is willing to accept and a buyer willing to pay on the open market and in an arm’s length transaction. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, wi…

“Hazardous material” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 25260. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, with continuing effect as provided in Section 25395.110.)

(a) “Innocent landowner” means a person who owns a site, did not cause or contribute to a release or threatened release at the site, meets the conditions to qualify as an “innocent landowner” specified in Section 25395.80, and is any one of the following: (1) A person who, at the…

“Land use control” means a recorded instrument executed pursuant to Section 1471 of the Civil Code that restricts or imposes obligations on the present or future uses or activities on a site, including, but not limited to, recorded easements, covenants, restrictions or servitudes…

“Passive migration” means the leaking, leaching or movement of a hazardous material into or through the environment, for which no human activity by the bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner preceded the initial entry of that substance into the envi…

“Regional board” means a California regional water quality control board. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, with continuing effect as provided in Section 25395.110.)

“Release” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 78105. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 258, Sec. 80. (AB 2327) Effective January 1, 2023. Operative January 1, 2024, pursuant to Sec. 130 of Stats. 2022, Ch. 258. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Sect…

“Response plan” means a written plan submitted to an agency pursuant to Section 25395.96. (Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 705, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005. Repealed as of January 1, 2037, pursuant to Section 25395.109, with continuing effect as provided in Section 25395.110.)

(a) “Site” means real property located in an urban infill area for which the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or perceived presence of hazardous materials. (b) “Site” does not include any of the following: (1) A facility that is listed or prop…

For purposes of this chapter, to qualify as a bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner a person shall establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, all of the following conditions: (a) On or before the date on which the person acquired the site, the …

(a) Except as provided in Section 25395.85, and except as otherwise provided under this section, a bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner who did not cause or contribute to the release at the site, qualifies for the following immunities: (1) The bon…

(a) Notwithstanding Sections 25395.69, 25395.70, and 25395.75, on and after the date when the immunity specified in subdivision (c) of Section 25395.81 attaches, the person shall remain eligible for immunity if a release of hazardous materials at the site during a response action…

(a) If there are unrecovered costs incurred by an agency at a site for which an owner of the site is not liable as an innocent landowner, bona fide purchaser, or contiguous property owner, an agency shall have a lien on the site, or may, by agreement with the owner, obtain from t…

(a) A court of competent jurisdiction may award reasonable attorneys’ fees and experts’ fees to a person who initiates a claim under an applicable law for contribution for, or recovery of, response costs incurred for a response action, or for any other response costs incurred at …

An innocent landowner, bona fide purchaser, contiguous landowner, or bona fide ground tenant, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 25395.102, may seek contribution from any person who is responsible for a discharge or release of hazardous materials for which the innocent land…

(a) This chapter does not provide immunity from any of the following: (1) Liability for bodily injury or wrongful death. (2) Any requirement imposed under Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 25100), including, but not limited to, corrective action and closure and postclosure req…

(a) On or before March 31, 2005, the California Environmental Protection Agency shall develop a form that, upon approval of a response plan, shall be completed and submitted to the agency by a bona fide purchaser or innocent landowner who qualifies for immunity pursuant to this c…

To the extent consistent with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended, (42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq.), the department may exclude any portion of a response action conducted entirely onsite from the hazardous waste facilities permit requirements of Sections 2…

(a) Except as expressly provided in this article, this article does not affect the authority of an agency to issue an order or take any other action under any provision of law to protect public health and safety or the environment. (b) Except as otherwise expressly provided in th…

(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this article, the definitions in Article 2 (commencing with Section 25395.63) apply to the terms used in this article. (b) “Action level” has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 116455. (c) “Host…

(a) Only the following are eligible to enter into an agreement pursuant to this article: (1) A bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner who meets the requirements specified in Section 25395.80. (2) A prospective purchaser who is in contract to acquire…

(a) A bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner who seeks to qualify for the immunity provided by this chapter shall enter into an agreement with an agency pursuant to this article that includes the performance of a site assessment, and, if the agency …

(a) A person may withdraw from an agreement entered into pursuant to this article by providing a 30-day written notice to the agency and doing both of the following: (1) Reimbursing the agency for all costs incurred by the agency pursuant to the agreement. (2) Demonstrating to th…

(a) (1) A person who enters into an agreement pursuant to this article with an agency for the oversight of a site assessment shall submit a site assessment plan to the agency to conduct a site assessment of the site in accordance with the requirements of this section. (2) If the …

(a) After implementation of the site assessment plan, the person shall submit to the agency a report of the findings made pursuant to the plan. Based upon a review of this information, the agency shall determine whether a response action is necessary to address any unreasonable r…

(a) If, upon review of the site assessment prepared pursuant to this article, the agency determines that a response action is necessary to prevent or eliminate an unreasonable risk, the bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner shall submit a response …

(a) Except as provided in Section 25395.99, the agency shall issue a certificate of completion upon determining that all response actions have been satisfactorily completed in accordance with an approved response plan. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the agency shall issue a…

A person who acquires a property from an innocent landowner, bona fide purchaser, or contiguous property owner, and the property was previously issued a certificate of completion or no further action determination, may qualify as a bona fide prospective purchaser or contiguous pr…

(a) A response plan may require the use of a land use control that imposes appropriate conditions, restrictions, and obligations on land use or activities, if, after completion of the removal and remedial actions specified in the response plan, hazardous materials remain at the s…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, the definitions in Article 2 (commencing with Section 25395.63) and Article 6 (commencing with Section 25395.90) shall govern the interpretation of this article. (b) “Bona fide ground tenant” means a person who establishes by a pr…

(a) A bona fide ground tenant who seeks to qualify for the immunity pursuant to Section 25395.104 shall make all appropriate inquiries, and shall enter into an agreement pursuant to this article with an agency, and one or more entities that agree to take responsibility for implem…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a bona fide ground tenant shall qualify for the following immunities: (1) The bona fide ground tenant shall not be liable under any applicable statute for a claim made by a person, other than an agency, for response costs or other…

(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 25395.102, on and after the date when the immunity specified in Section 25395.104 attaches, a person shall remain eligible for immunity if a release of hazardous materials at the site during a response action is de minimis and the ag…

(a) This article does not provide immunity from any of the following: (1) Liability for bodily injury or wrongful death. (2) A requirement imposed under Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 25100), including, but not limited to, corrective action and closure and postclosure requi…

This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2037, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2037, deletes or extends that date. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 173, Sec. 1. (AB 961) Effective January 1, 2026. Rep…