65-34,108. Enforcement of act; duties of owner or operator; records, reports, documents, other information. (a) For the purposes of developing or assisting in the development of any rule and regulation, conducting any study or enforcing the provisions of this act:

(1) It shall be the duty of any owner or operator of a storage tank, upon the request of any duly authorized representative of the secretary made at any reasonable time, to furnish information relating to the storage tank, including tank equipment and contents, to conduct monitoring or testing, to permit such authorized representative to have access to and to copy all records relating to such tank.

(2) Any authorized representative of the secretary is authorized to enter at reasonable times any establishment or place where a storage tank is located, to inspect and obtain samples from any person of any regulated substance contained in such storage tank, and to conduct or require the owner or operator to conduct monitoring or testing of such storage tank, associated equipment, tank contents or surrounding soils, air, surface water or groundwater.

(b) Each inspection shall be commenced and completed with reasonable promptness.

(c) Any records, reports, documents or information obtained from any person under this act shall be available to the public except as provided in this section.

(d) Any person submitting any records, reports, documents or information required by this act, may, upon a showing satisfactory to the secretary, claim any portion of such record, report, document or information confidential as a trade secret. The department shall establish procedures to insure that trade secrets are utilized by the secretary or any authorized representative of the secretary only in connection with the responsibilities of the department pursuant to this act. Trade secrets shall not be otherwise used or disseminated by the secretary or any representative of the secretary without the consent of the person furnishing the information.

(e) Notwithstanding any limitation contained in this section, all information reported to, or otherwise obtained by the department under this act, shall be made available to the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency, or an authorized representative of the administrator, upon written request. In submitting any trade secrets to such administrator or the authorized representative of such administrator, the secretary shall submit the claim of confidentiality to the administrator or authorized representative of the administrator.

History: L. 1989, ch. 186, § 9; L. 1992, ch. 311, § 6; July 1.