California § 25395.81 - Except as provided in Section 25395.85, and except as otherwise provided under th

§ 25395.81. Except as provided in Section 25395.85, and except as otherwise provided under th

(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 bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner is not liable under any applicable statute for a claim made by any person, other than an agency, for response costs or other damages associated with a release or threatened release of a hazardous material at the site characterized in the site assessment conducted pursuant to, or a response plan approved pursuant to, Article 6 (commencing with Section 25395.90). (2) An agency shall not take an action under an applicable statute to require a bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner to take a response action, other than a response action required in an approved response plan, with respect to the hazardous material release at a site that is characterized in the site assessment conducted pursuant to, or a response plan approved pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 25395.90), unless both of the following conditions apply: (A) The conditions on the property pose an endangerment. (B) The agency does one of the following: (i) Makes all reasonable efforts, including taking appropriate administrative enforcement actions, to compel any necessary response action from other potentially responsible parties, and those efforts have been unsuccessful. (ii) Reasonably determines, after the exercise of reasonable inquiry, that no potentially responsible party exists with sufficient financial resources to perform the required response action at the site. (b) This section does not modify or limit the existing authority of a state or local agency to impose a condition on the issuance of a discretionary permit relating to the development, use, or occupancy of any site. (c) The immunities described in this section shall attach when the bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner enters into an agreement with an agency pursuant to Section 25395.92 and shall remain in effect unless one of the following occurs: (1) The bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner receives a written notice of an unapproved, material deviation from the agreement from the agency. (2) The bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner or an agency terminates the agreement before a finding of no further action is made pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 25395.95 or a certificate of completion is issued pursuant to Section 25395.97. (d) A person who otherwise qualifies for immunity under this chapter and who commits fraud, intentional nondisclosure, or misrepresentation to an agency with respect to any requirement of this chapter, does not qualify as a bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner, or contiguous property owner. (e) This section does not relieve a bona fide purchaser, innocent landowner or contiguous property owner from reporting, disclosure and notification requirements under any applicable statute.