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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="7-501" title_number="7" title_name="Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Substances" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Voluntary Cleanup Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Active enforcement” means after the Department has issued a notice of violation, order, consent order, or other enforcement action of the Department and until completion of activities required by that action.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, “other enforcement action” does not include a site complaint.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Applicant” means a person who applies to participate in the Voluntary Cleanup Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>“Background level” means the level of a substance occurring naturally at the site prior to any manmade spill or release.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Contamination” means a release, discharge, or threatened release of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A controlled hazardous substance, as defined in § 7–201 of this title; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Oil, as defined in § 4–401 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>“Eligible applicant” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A responsible person who has not knowingly or willfully violated any law or regulation concerning controlled hazardous substances; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An inculpable person.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Eligible property” means property that is contaminated or perceived to be contaminated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Eligible property” does not include property that is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>On the national priorities list under § 105 of the federal act;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Except as provided in paragraph (3)(i) of this subsection, under active enforcement; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Subject to a controlled hazardous substances permit issued in accordance with this title.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Eligible property” includes a site under active enforcement if:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>All applications filed in connection with the property are filed by inculpable persons; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Any response action plan and cleanup criteria approved by the Department under this subtitle is at least as protective of public health and the environment as the requirements of any outstanding active enforcement action.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Eligible property” includes sites listed on the Superfund Enterprise Management System or the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>“Federal act” has the meaning stated in § 7–201(j) of this title.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>“Imminent and substantial endangerment” means a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance that may pose a risk of significant harm to the public health or the environment at some foreseeable time in the future and is not limited to an emergency situation.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Inculpable person” means a person who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Has no prior or current ownership interest in an eligible property at the time of application to participate in the Voluntary Cleanup Program; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Has not caused or contributed to contamination at the eligible property at the time of application to participate in the Voluntary Cleanup Program.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Inculpable person” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A successor in interest in an eligible property acquired from an inculpable person, as defined in paragraph (1) of this subsection, if the successor in interest does not have a prior ownership interest in the eligible property and, other than by virtue of ownership of the eligible property, is not otherwise a responsible person at the eligible property; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(i) of this subsection, a person who is not considered a responsible person under § 7–201(t)(2) of this title.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>“Participant” means an applicant accepted into the Voluntary Cleanup Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>“Previously undiscovered contamination” means contamination at an eligible property which was not identified or addressed in a notice of no further requirements or response action plan.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <text>“Program” means the Voluntary Cleanup Program established under this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <text>“Responsible person” has the meaning stated in § 7–201(t) of this title.</text>
  </level>
</section>
