(a) The owner or operator of a UST shall stop a confirmed release within twelve (12) hours of confirmation or knowledge that a release occurred. The owner and operator shall take corrective action in response to a release to protect human health and the environment, and shall restore the environment and the UST and/or pipeline facility to a condition acceptable to the Administrator.

(b) The Administrator may require the owner and operator to undertake corrective action, investigation, monitoring, surveying, testing, and research necessary and appropriate to:

(1) identify the existence and extent of the release;

(2) identify the source and nature of the regulated substance involved;

(3) evaluate the extent of the danger to human health, safety, welfare, and the environment; and

(4) develop and implement a corrective action plan.

(c) If the owner or operator does not take immediate action to complete actions under this Section and adequately complete the cleanup of a release or fails to comply with an order of the Administrator, the Administrator may clean up the release or contract with a private entity to do so.

(d) If the Administrator is authorized to act under Subsection (b) hereof, he/she may undertake such investigation, monitoring, surveying, testing, and other information gathering as he/she deems appropriate to identify the existence and extent of danger to human health, safety, welfare, and the environment. In addition, the Administrator may undertake or contract with a private entity to undertake such planning, fiscal, economic, engineering, and other studies and investigation he/she deems appropriate to plan and direct cleanup actions, and to recover the costs and legal costs thereof.