Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 14 : Section 691


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 691. Environmental Compliance and Restoration Program

      (a) The Secretary shall carry out a program of environmental
    compliance and restoration at current and former Coast Guard
    facilities.
      (b) Program goals include:
        (1) Identifying, investigating, and cleaning up contamination
      from hazardous substances and pollutants.
        (2) Correcting other environmental damage that poses an
      imminent and substantial danger to the public health or welfare
      or to the environment.
        (3) Demolishing and removing unsafe buildings and structures,
      including buildings and structures at former Coast Guard
      facilities.
        (4) Preventing contamination from hazardous substances and
      pollutants at current Coast Guard facilities.

      (c)(1) The Secretary shall respond to releases of hazardous
    substances and pollutants - 
        (A) at each Coast Guard facility the United States owns,
      leases, or otherwise possesses;
        (B) at each Coast Guard facility the United States owned,
      leased, or otherwise possessed when the actions leading to
      contamination from hazardous substances or pollutants occurred;
      and
        (C) on each vessel the Coast Guard owns or operates.

      (2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not apply to a removal
    or remedial action when a potentially responsible person responds
    under section 122 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
    Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9622).
      (3) The Secretary shall pay a fee or charge imposed by a state
    (!1) authority for permit services for disposing of hazardous
    substances or pollutants from Coast Guard facilities to the same
    extent that nongovernmental entities are required to pay for permit
    services. This paragraph does not apply to a payment that is the
    responsibility of a lessee, contractor, or other private person.

      (d) The Secretary may agree with another Federal agency for that
    agency to assist in carrying out the Secretary's responsibilities
    under this chapter. The Secretary may enter into contracts,
    cooperative agreements, and grant agreements with State and local
    governments to assist in carrying out the Secretary's
    responsibilities under this chapter. Services that may be obtained
    under this subsection include identifying, investigating, and
    cleaning up off-site contamination that may have resulted from the
    release of a hazardous substance or pollutant at a Coast Guard
    facility.
      (e) Section 119 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
    Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9619) applies to
    response action contractors that carry out response actions under
    this chapter. The Coast Guard shall indemnify response action
    contractors to the extent that adequate insurance is not generally
    available at a fair price at the time the contractor enters into
    the contract to cover the contractor's reasonable, potential,
    long-term liability.



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