(1) If the Department of Environmental Quality determines that the presence of hazardous waste at a facility or site at which hazardous waste is or has been stored, treated or disposed of, or that the release of hazardous waste from a hazardous waste storage, treatment or disposal facility or site may present a substantial hazard to human health or the environment, the department may order the owner or operator of the facility or site to conduct any monitoring, testing, analysis and reporting as the department considers necessary to determine the nature and extent of the hazard.
(2) If a facility or site is not in operation at the time a determination is made under subsection (1) of this section and the department finds that the owner of the facility or site could not reasonably be expected to have actual knowledge of the presence of hazardous waste at the facility or site and of its potential for release, the department may order the most recent previous owner or operator of the facility or site, who could most reasonably be expected to have such actual knowledge, to carry out the actions required in subsection (1) of this section.
(3) Within 30 days after the department issues an order under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, the person to whom the order is issued shall submit to the department a proposal for carrying out the required monitoring, testing, analysis and reporting. The department may require the person to carry out the monitoring, testing, analysis and reporting described in the proposal and in any modifications to the proposal that the department considers necessary to determine the nature and extent of the hazard.
(4) If the department determines that an owner or operator is not able to conduct monitoring, testing, analysis or reporting required under subsection (1) or (2) of this section in a manner satisfactory to the department, or if the department considers any such action carried out by an owner or operator to be unsatisfactory, or if the owner or operator fails to comply with the order, or if the department initially cannot determine that there is an owner or operator able to conduct such monitoring, testing, analysis or reporting, the department may:
(a)(A) Conduct any monitoring, testing or analysis that the department considers reasonable to determine the nature and extent of the hazard associated with the facility or site; or
(B) Authorize another state agency, local authority or person to conduct the necessary monitoring, testing or analysis; and
(b) Require, by order, the owner or operator to reimburse the department, state agency, local authority or person for the costs of conducting the monitoring, testing or analysis.
(5) The department may not require an owner or operator to reimburse the department for the costs of any action carried out by the department under subsection (4) of this section if the department’s actions confirm the results of monitoring, testing, analyses or reporting conducted by an owner or operator under subsection (1) or (2) of this section.
(6) Any order issued under this section shall be subject to the provisions set forth in ORS 466.190 and 466.200.
(7) In order to carry out the provisions of this section, the owner or operator of the site or facility shall allow necessary access according to the requirements of ORS 466.195 to the department or any state agency, local authority or person conducting the monitoring, testing or analysis required under subsection (4)(a) of this section. [1987 c.540 §2]
(PCB Disposal Facilities)
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