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H1045 • 2025

An Act relative to liability for release of hazardous materials

An Act relative to liability for release of hazardous materials

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Margaret R. Scarsdale
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5307
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to liability for release of hazardous materials

An Act relative to liability for release of hazardous materials By Representative Scarsdale of Pepperell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to liability for release of hazardous materials By Representative Scarsdale of Pepperell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1045) of Margaret R.
  • Scarsdale relative to liability for release of hazardous materials.
  • Environment and Natural Resources.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-30 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5307

  2. 2025-06-10 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to liability for release of hazardous materials
By Representative Scarsdale of Pepperell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1045) of Margaret R. Scarsdale relative to liability for release of hazardous materials. Environment and Natural Resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.1045

SECTION 1. Section 5C of said chapter 21E, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

(l) A department audit of response actions at the site or portion of the site owned or operated by an eligible person, as delineated in a waste site cleanup activity opinion, for which a permanent solution or remedy operations status exists and is maintained or has been achieved and maintained in accordance with such opinion, which (i) identifies no violations of this chapter and regulations promulgated thereto, or (ii) if such violations are identified, such violations are promptly corrected, shall be deemed conclusive evidence that the eligible person has no liability, and the department may take no action as to such eligible person, for any releases at any property not previously identified as part of the site or any other disposal site. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department shall not promulgate regulations relative to this subsection.

SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no person shall be liable for any substantial release migration at any property not previously identified as part of a disposal site or any other disposal site if the department of environmental protection:

(i) has, at any time before the effective date of this act, performed an audit of response actions at a site, or a part of a site; and

(ii)(1) has determined that a permanent solution or remedy operations status was achieved and maintained in accordance with a waste site cleanup activity opinion or any other notification to such person; or (2) has notified such person that a violation of chapter 21E of the General Laws or any regulation was identified and promptly corrected.

(b) The department of environmental protection shall have no defense in any action or claim, nor shall the department present evidence to contest liability of an eligible person, upon a showing that a permanent solution or remedy operations status was achieved and maintained.

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