New Hampshire § 146-D-1 - Section 146-D:1 Purpose.

§ 146-D-1. Section 146-D:1 Purpose.

The general court finds that gasoline, gasoline ethers and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), diesel fuel, heating oil, motor oil, and used motor oil, comprise a sufficiently distinct class of property which represents a potential serious health and safety problem to the citizens of New Hampshire. In particular, gasoline, gasoline ethers, TBA and diesel fuel present a potential threat to the quality of New Hampshire's groundwater, environment and public health of its citizens, because of the speed with which these products are able to flow into, and contaminate, valuable groundwater supplies. In addition, the cost of cleanup of oil discharges is a significant economic burden for which economic assistance is otherwise not available. The purpose of this chapter is to establish financial responsibility for the cleanup of oil discharges and disposal, and to establish a fund to be used in addressing the costs incurred by the owners of public and private water supplies, oil storage facilities, and potential contamination source properties for the prevention and cleanup of oil discharges, to protect groundwater, and for reimbursement of third party damages.