PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

You must first take any claim for cleanup costs to the owner, operator, or guarantor of the vessel or facility that released the hazardous substance, and to any other person you know might be liable. If they do not pay within 60 days, you can ask the Fund to pay. The Fund will not approve a claim while you are suing in court over those same costs. The President will make claim forms that require a sworn statement. Knowingly giving false information on a claim is a crime punishable by fines under Title 18 or up to 3 years in prison (5 years for a repeat conviction), or both. The President can pay a claim if satisfied with the evidence. If payment is denied in whole or part, you have 30 days to ask for an administrative hearing and you must prove your claim. Administrative decisions must be written, sent to all parties, and issued within 90 days after the claim is submitted to an administrative law judge unless the parties agree to more time or the President extends up to 60 days. Either party may appeal a decision to the federal district court where the release happened within 30 days; the court will only overturn a decision for arbitrary or capricious abuse of discretion. The Fund must pay awards within 20 days after the appeal period ends or after final court decision, and the United States gets the claimant’s rights to recover those costs from the responsible party. Claims for costs must be filed no later than 6 years after all response action is done; claims for damages must be filed within 3 years after discovery or after final regulations under section 9651(c), whichever is later. Time limits do not start for minors until they turn 18 or get a legal representative, or for incompetent persons until they recover or get a legal representative. The Fund cannot pay twice for the same costs, and making a Fund claim does not waive other claims you may have.

Title 42, §9612

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Claims against Fund for response costs

No claim may be asserted against the Fund pursuant to section 9611(a) of this title unless such claim is presented in the first instance to the owner, operator, or guarantor of the vessel or facility from which a hazardous substance has been released, if known to the claimant, and to any other person known to the claimant who may be liable under section 9607 of this title. In any case where the claim has not been satisfied within 60 days of presentation in accordance with this subsection, the claimant may present the claim to the Fund for payment. No claim against the Fund may be approved or certified during the pendency of an action by the claimant in court to recover costs which are the subject of the claim.

(b)Forms and procedures applicable

(1)Prescribing forms and procedures

The President shall prescribe appropriate forms and procedures for claims filed hereunder, which shall include a provision requiring the claimant to make a sworn verification of the claim to the best of his knowledge. Any person who knowingly gives or causes to be given any false information as a part of any such claim shall, upon conviction, be fined in accordance with the applicable provisions of title 18 or imprisoned for not more than 3 years (or not more than 5 years in the case of a second or subsequent conviction), or both.

(2)Payment or request for hearing

The President may, if satisfied that the information developed during the processing of the claim warrants it, make and pay an award of the claim, except that no claim may be awarded to the extent that a judicial judgment has been made on the costs that are the subject of the claim. If the President declines to pay all or part of the claim, the claimant may, within 30 days after receiving notice of the President’s decision, request an administrative hearing.

(3)Burden of proof (4) Decisions

In any proceeding under this subsection, the claimant shall bear the burden of proving his claim.

(5)Finality and appeal

All administrative decisions hereunder shall be final, and any party to the proceeding may appeal a decision within 30 days of notification of the award or decision. Any such appeal shall be made to the Federal district court for the district where the release or threat of release took place. In any such appeal, the decision shall be considered binding and conclusive, and shall not be overturned except for arbitrary or capricious abuse of discretion.

(6)Payment

Within 20 days after the expiration of the appeal period for any administrative decision concerning an award, or within 20 days after the final judicial determination of any appeal taken pursuant to this subsection, the President shall pay any such award from the Fund. The President shall determine the method, terms, and time of payment.

(c)Subrogation rights; actions maintainable

(1)Payment of any claim by the Fund under this section shall be subject to the United States Government acquiring by subrogation the rights of the claimant to recover those costs of removal or damages for which it has compensated the claimant from the person responsible or liable for such release.

(2)Any person, including the Fund, who pays compensation pursuant to this chapter to any claimant for damages or costs resulting from a release of a hazardous substance shall be subrogated to all rights, claims, and causes of action for such damages and costs of removal that the claimant has under this chapter or any other law.

(3)Upon request of the President, the Attorney General shall commence an action on behalf of the Fund to recover any compensation paid by the Fund to any claimant pursuant to this subchapter, and, without regard to any limitation of liability, all interest, administrative and adjudicative costs, and attorney’s fees incurred by the Fund by reason of the claim. Such an action may be commenced against any owner, operator, or guarantor, or against any other person who is liable, pursuant to any law, to the compensated claimant or to the Fund, for the damages or costs for which compensation was paid.

(d)Statute of limitations

(1)Claims for recovery of costs

No claim may be presented under this section for recovery of the costs referred to in section 9607(a) of this title after the date 6 years after the date of completion of all response action.

(2)Claims for recovery of damages

No claim may be presented under this section for recovery of the damages referred to in section 9607(a) of this title unless the claim is presented within 3 years after the later of the following:

(A)The date of the discovery of the loss and its connection with the release in question.

(B)The date on which final regulations are promulgated under section 9651(c) of this title.

(3)Minors and incompetents

The time limitations contained herein shall not begin to run—

(A)against a minor until the earlier of the date when such minor reaches 18 years of age or the date on which a legal representative is duly appointed for the minor, or

(B)against an incompetent person until the earlier of the date on which such person’s incompetency ends or the date on which a legal representative is duly appointed for such incompetent person.

(e)Other statutory or common law claims not waived, etc.

Regardless of any State statutory or common law to the contrary, no person who asserts a claim against the Fund pursuant to this subchapter shall be deemed or held to have waived any other claim not covered or assertable against the Fund under this subchapter arising from the same incident, transaction, or set of circumstances, nor to have split a cause of action. Further, no person asserting a claim against the Fund pursuant to this subchapter shall as a result of any determination of a question of fact or law made in connection with that claim be deemed or held to be collaterally estopped from raising such question in connection with any other claim not covered or assertable against the Fund under this subchapter arising from the same incident, transaction, or set of circumstances.

(f)Double recovery prohibited

Where the President has paid out of the Fund for any response costs or any costs specified under section 9611(c)(1) or (2) of this title, no other claim may be paid out of the Fund for the same costs.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 96–510, Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2767, known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 9601 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–499, § 112(a), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “All claims which may be asserted against the Fund pursuant to section 9611 of this title shall be presented in the first instance to the owner, operator, or guarantor of the vessel or facility from which a hazardous substance has been released, if known to the claimant, and to any other person known to the claimant who may be liable under section 9607 of this title. In any case where the claim has not been satisfied within sixty days of presentation in accordance with this subsection, the claimant may elect to commence an action in court against such owner, operator, guarantor, or other person or to present the claim to the Fund for payment.” Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 99–499, § 112(b), added heading. Pub. L. 99–499, § 109(a)(3), substituted “in accordance with the applicable provisions of title 18 or imprisoned for not more than 3 years (or not more than 5 years in the case of a second or subsequent conviction), or both” for “up to $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both”. Subsec. (b)(2) to (6). Pub. L. 99–499, § 112(b), added pars. (2) to (6) and struck out former pars. (2) to (4) which related to the settlement and arbitration of claims against liable persons and against the Fund. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–499, § 112(c), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “No claim may be presented, nor may an action be commenced for damages under this subchapter, unless that claim is presented or action commenced within three years from the date of the discovery of the loss or December 11, 1980, whichever is later: Provided, however, That the time limitations contained herein shall not begin to run against a minor until he reaches eighteen years of age or a legal representative is duly appointed for him, nor against an incompetent person until his incompetency ends or a legal representative is duly appointed for him.” Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 99–499, § 112(d), added subsec. (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Coordination of Titles I to IV of Pub. L. 99–499Any provision of titles I to IV of Pub. L. 99–499, imposing any tax, premium, or fee; establishing any trust fund; or authorizing expenditures from any trust fund, to have no force or effect, see section 531 of Pub. L. 99–499, set out as a note under section 1 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

§9612 Claims Procedure