(a) All persons, including an owner and an operator, shall not cause or contribute to a release from an aboveground storage tank.

(b) All persons, including an owner and an operator, shall report to the Department a release from an aboveground storage tank in excess of the reportable quantities specified in the regulations promulgated pursuant § 6028 of this title and the Delaware Regulations Governing the Reporting of a Discharge of a Pollutant or an Air Contaminant, as amended.

(c) The owner and operator shall as soon as possible take measures for the prompt control, containment and removal of a released regulated substance to the satisfaction of the Department to achieve the purposes of this chapter. Such measures shall include, but not be limited to, soil removal, soil vapor extraction, groundwater extraction, pump and treat or bioremediation as approved by the Department.

(d) The Department may take measures for the prompt control, containment and removal of a released, regulated substance when it determines that the owner or operator is not responding promptly or appropriately. However, all liability for costs incurred by the Department, including, but not limited to, remediation costs, equipment costs, supply costs, legal costs and administrative oversight costs, remain with the owner and operator. Owners and operators shall reimburse all such costs to the Department within 90 days of receiving written notice of any amount due.

(e) Consistent with the provisions of Chapter 60 of this title, the Department may take measures for the prompt control, containment and removal, or to otherwise address an indicated release or an imminent threat of a release of a regulated substance from an aboveground storage tank when it determines that the owner or operator is not responding promptly or appropriately in accordance with the regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter. However, all liability incurred by the Department for remediation costs, equipment costs, supply costs, legal costs and administrative oversight costs, remain with the owner and operator. Owners and operators shall reimburse all such costs to the Department within 90 days of receiving written notice of any amount due.

(f) The Department may file an action in Superior Court against any responsible party for cost recovery and for reimbursement of funds expended, for corrective action, in control, containment, removal and remediation of any release, indicated release or imminent threat situation, and all activities associated with preventing releases from aboveground storage tanks. Any cost recovery and reimbursement collected by the Department for these activities shall be credited to and expended by the Department for control of aboveground storage tank releases and in support of the purposes of this chapter. A responsible party shall have an affirmative defense to a cost recovery action under this section by showing that the responsible party was responding promptly and effectively with respect to the control, containment, and removal of released regulated substances at the time that the Department assumed control of the release, indication of a release, or imminent threat situation.

73 Del. Laws, c. 366, § 1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 306, § 1.