Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§9614 Relationship to Other Law

Title 42 › CHAPTER 103 — COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY › SUBCHAPTER I — HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES, LIABILITY, COMPENSATION › § 9614

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

States can add extra rules or make people more responsible for hazardous releases inside their borders. If a person is paid for cleanup costs or damages under this federal law, they cannot get paid again for the same costs or damages under any other federal or state law. Likewise, if they are paid under another law, they cannot get paid again under this federal law. Service station dealers generally cannot be made to pay under certain federal cleanup or enforcement rules for releases of recycled oil if the oil is not mixed with other hazardous substances and is handled under the rules created under section 3014 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act. A dealer may assume a small amount of oil taken from a car or home appliance by the owner is not mixed when the owner brings it in. The terms "used oil" and "recycled oil" are defined in that Act. Those recycled-oil limits take effect when the section 3014 rules require cleanup for recycled oil. Also, if an owner or operator of a vessel or facility shows they meet the federal financial responsibility rules in this subchapter, a state or local government may not demand additional proof of financial responsibility for the same liability.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §9614

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

(a)Additional State liability or requirements with respect to release of substances within State
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed or interpreted as preempting any State from imposing any additional liability or requirements with respect to the release of hazardous substances within such State.
(b)Recovery under other State or Federal law of compensation for removal costs or damages, or payment of claims
Any person who receives compensation for removal costs or damages or claims pursuant to this chapter shall be precluded from recovering compensation for the same removal costs or damages or claims pursuant to any other State or Federal law. Any person who receives compensation for removal costs or damages or claims pursuant to any other Federal or State law shall be precluded from receiving compensation for the same removal costs or damages or claims as provided in this chapter.
(c)Recycled oil
(1)Service station dealers, etc.
No person (including the United States or any State) may recover, under the authority of subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4) of section 9607 of this title, from a service station dealer for any response costs or damages resulting from a release or threatened release of recycled oil, or use the authority of section 9606 of this title against a service station dealer other than a person described in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) of section 9607 of this title, if such recycled oil—
(A)is not mixed with any other hazardous substance, and
(B)is stored, treated, transported, or otherwise managed in compliance with regulations or standards promulgated pursuant to section 3014 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act [42 U.S.C. 6935] and other applicable authorities.
Nothing in this paragraph shall affect or modify in any way the obligations or liability of any person under any other provision of State or Federal law, including common law, for damages, injury, or loss resulting from a release or threatened release of any hazardous substance or for removal or remedial action or the costs of removal or remedial action.
(2)Presumption
Solely for the purposes of this subsection, a service station dealer may presume that a small quantity of used oil is not mixed with other hazardous substances if it—
(A)has been removed from the engine of a light duty motor vehicle or household appliances by the owner of such vehicle or appliances, and
(B)is presented, by such owner, to the dealer for collection, accumulation, and delivery to an oil recycling facility.
(3)Definition
For purposes of this subsection, the terms “used oil” and “recycled oil” have the same meanings as set forth in section 1004(36) and 1004(37) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act [42 U.S.C. 6903(36), (37)] and regulations promulgated pursuant to that Act [42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.].
(4)Effective date
The effective date of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall be the effective date of regulations or standards promulgated under section 3014 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act [42 U.S.C. 6935] that include, among other provisions, a requirement to conduct corrective action to respond to any releases of recycled oil under subtitle C or subtitle I of such Act [42 U.S.C. 6921 et seq., 6991 et seq.].
(d)Financial responsibility of owner or operator of vessel or facility under State or local law, rule, or regulation
Except as provided in this subchapter, no owner or operator of a vessel or facility who establishes and maintains evidence of financial responsibility in accordance with this subchapter shall be required under any State or local law, rule, or regulation to establish or maintain any other evidence of financial responsibility in connection with liability for the release of a hazardous substance from such vessel or facility. Evidence of compliance with the financial responsibility requirements of this subchapter shall be accepted by a State in lieu of any other requirement of financial responsibility imposed by such State in connection with liability for the release of a hazardous substance from such vessel or facility.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), 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. The Solid Waste Disposal Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(3), (4), is title II of Pub. L. 89–272, Oct. 20, 1965, 79 Stat. 997, as amended generally by Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2795, which is classified generally to chapter 82 (§ 6901 et seq.) of this title. Subtitles C and I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act are classified generally to subchapters III (§ 6921 et seq.) and IX (§ 6991 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 82 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6901 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–499 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “Except as provided in this chapter, no person may be required to contribute to any fund, the purpose of which is to pay compensation for claims for any costs of response or damages or claims which may be compensated under this subchapter. Nothing in this section shall preclude any State from using general revenues for such a fund, or from imposing a tax or fee upon any person or upon any substance in order to finance the purchase or prepositioning of hazardous substance response equipment or other preparations for the response to a release of hazardous substances which affects such State.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 9614

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110