58:10-23.11f22 Owners of certain contaminated real property, immunity from liability.

1. a. The provisions of any other law, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto to the contrary notwithstanding, a person, who owns real property acquired on or after the effective date of P.L.1997, c.278 (C.58:10B-1.1 et al.), shall not be liable for the payment of compensation for damage to, or the loss of, natural resources, or for the restoration of natural resources on or off the property in connection with the discharge of a hazardous substance at the property, pursuant to any statutory or civil common law, to any person, or to the State, provided that:

(1) the person acquired the real property after the discharge of that hazardous substance at the real property;

(2) the person did not discharge the hazardous substance, is not in any way responsible for the hazardous substance, and is not a corporate successor to the discharger or to any person in any way responsible for the hazardous substance or to anyone liable for cleanup and removal costs pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11g); and

(3) the person has not, by contract, using the term of art "natural resource damages," expressly assumed the liability for the payment of compensation for damage to, or loss of, natural resources, or for the restoration of natural resources, that were injured by a discharge of a hazardous substance at the property.

b. The provisions of any other law, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto to the contrary notwithstanding, a person, who owns real property acquired on or after the effective date of P.L.1997, c.278 (C.58:10B-1.1 et al.), shall not be liable for cleanup and removal costs for the discharge of a hazardous substance that has migrated from the property provided that:

(1) the person acquired the real property after the discharge of that hazardous substance at the real property;

(2) the person did not discharge the hazardous substance, is not in any way responsible for the hazardous substance, and is not a corporate successor to the discharger or to any person in any way responsible for the hazardous substance or to anyone liable for cleanup and removal costs pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11g);

(3) the person can demonstrate through the performance of a remedial investigation that the contamination identified on nearby or adjoining property, which is similar or identical to contamination on the property, originates from more than one source;

(4) the person can demonstrate through the performance of a remedial investigation that a remedial action for the contamination off the property is not necessary to limit the risk to the public health and the environment from that contamination; and

(5) the person has not, by contract, voluntarily assumed the liability from the person liable for cleanup and removal costs, for addressing the risks to public health and the environment from a discharge of a hazardous substance on the property that has migrated from the property prior to that person's acquisition of the property.

Only the person who is liable to clean up and remove the contamination pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11g) and who does not have a defense to liability pursuant to subsection d. of that section shall be liable for any additional remediation costs or cleanup and removal costs necessary.

L.2005,c.4,s.1.