§ 8-7-520 — Contribution

(a) Any person who has undertaken or is undertaking remedial action at a hazardous substance site in response to an administrative or judicial order initiated against such person pursuant to § 8-7-508 or § 8-7-1104(d) may obtain contribution from any other person who is liable for such hazardous substance site. (b) Any person who has resolved all or a portion of his or her liability for a hazardous substance site by undertaking remedial action pursuant to an administrative or judicially approved settlement may obtain contribution from any person who is liable for such hazardous substance site and is not a party to the settlement. (c) Those persons identified under § 8-7-512(a) shall be the persons liable for the hazardous substance site. (d) An action for contribution may be brought in the circuit court of the county in which the hazardous substance site is located. In resolving contribution claims, the circuit court shall allocate the costs and expenses incurred or to be incurred by the contribution claimant or claimants for undertaking remedial action among all persons liable for the hazardous substance site, using such equitable factors as the circuit court determines are appropriate. (e) Any person who has resolved all or a portion of his or her liability for a hazardous substance site by undertaking remedial action pursuant to an administrative or judicial proceeding or settlement shall not be liable for claims for contribution regarding matters addressed in the order or settlement which have been satisfactorily resolved. Such order or settlement does not discharge any of the other persons liable for the hazardous substance site who did not undertake or participate in the remedial action, unless the terms of the order or settlement so provide. (f) No action for contribution may be commenced more than three (3) years after the date of the administrative or judicial order or settlement with respect to such remedial action. In any such action, the circuit court shall enter a declaratory judgment on liability that will be binding on any subsequent action to recover costs and expenses for remedial action. (g) In any action for contribution, judicial review of any issues concerning the adequacy of the remedial action shall be limited to the administrative record to determine whether the selected remedy contained in the order or settlement is arbitrary or capricious, and then only such costs and expenses as are found to be inconsistent with those terms of the administrative or judicial order or settlement found to be arbitrary or capricious may be disallowed.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2019, No. 693,§ 22, eff. 7/24/2019. Acts 1989, No. 441, § 3; 1995, No. 125, § 3; 1997, No. 1042, § 2.