§128D-19 Administrative review of orders. (a) Any person who receives and complies with the terms of any order issued under this chapter, within sixty days after completion of the required order, may petition the director to appoint a hearings officer for review of the order and for reimbursement from the fund or the State for the reasonable costs of complying with the order, including interest.

(b) Within thirty days of receipt of the petition, the hearings officer shall commence a contested case hearing in compliance with chapter 91, and, within thirty days of the completion of the hearing, grant in whole or in part, or deny the petition.

(c) In the contested case hearing, in order to obtain reimbursement, the petitioner shall establish by clear and convincing evidence that the petitioner is not liable under this chapter and that the costs for which the petitioner seeks reimbursement are reasonable in light of the action required by the order.

(d) A petitioner who is liable under this chapter may recover the petitioner's reasonable costs of compliance with the order from the fund, or, if there are not sufficient moneys in the fund to satisfy the claims, then from the State, to the extent that the petitioner can demonstrate, on the administrative record, that the director's decision in selecting the action ordered was arbitrary and capricious or was otherwise not in accordance with the law. Reimbursement awarded under this subsection shall include all costs incurred by the petitioner pursuant to the order. If only a portion of the order is found to be arbitrary and capricious or otherwise not in accordance with law, reimbursement awarded under this paragraph shall include all costs incurred by the petitioner pursuant to the portions of the order found to be arbitrary and capricious or otherwise not in accordance with the law.

(e) Reimbursement awarded under subsections (c) and (d) may include appropriate costs, fees, and other expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees. [L 1991, c 280, pt of §1]