(a) Nothing in this article shall limit or expand, or be construed to limit or expand, the jurisdiction of any state agency specified in subdivision (b) of Section 25198.3 or any tribal agency with respect to any hazardous waste facility located in Indian country, including, but not limited to, the enforcement powers and procedures available to the state or any tribe with respect to those facilities to the extent not preempted by federal law, including, but not limited to, powers and procedures contained in state or tribal statutes or regulations.
(b) The cooperative agreement shall provide that the state may exercise its enforcement powers over any hazardous waste facility project on Indian country where a cooperative agreement has been executed, subject to all of the following requirements:
(1) A violation or threatened violation of any standard or requirement set forth in Section 25198.3, or its functional equivalent in the cooperative agreement, or any condition set forth in a cooperative agreement or permit for the facility, has occurred or is occurring. For purposes of this paragraph, “threatened violation” means a condition creating a substantial probability of harm, when the probability and potential extent of harm make it reasonably necessary to take immediate action to prevent, reduce, or mitigate damages to persons, property, or natural resources.
(2) The violation or violations have been brought to the attention of the tribe and to the owner and operator of the hazardous waste facility, through written notice from the appropriate agency. The notice shall identify the specific violation or violations which are occurring or have occurred and a specific corrective or enforcement action or range of actions, including sufficient penalties. The notice shall include a specific and reasonable timeframe in which to take appropriate corrective or enforcement action.
(3) The tribe, after receiving the notice, has failed to take the action or actions, or to take other reasonable action to abate or correct the violation or violations, in a reasonable time.
(c) The functionally equivalent provisions of tribal or federal permits, as determined sufficient pursuant to Section 25198.3, together with any cooperative agreement approved pursuant to this article, shall collectively be deemed to constitute permits issued under state law for all purposes of enforcing state law.
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), each of the public agencies specified in subdivision (b) of Section 25198.3 may immediately exercise its enforcement powers over any hazardous waste facility project on Indian country where a cooperative agreement has been executed, if, in the judgment of the public agency, immediate state action is required to avoid an imminent and substantial threat to public health and safety or to the environment. The state shall notify the tribe prior to taking any action pursuant to this subdivision.
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 113, Sec. 2. Effective July 2, 1992.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018