All releases from underground storage tanks reported to the department any time from midnight on December 31, 1987, to midnight on June 30, 1993, regardless of whether the release occurred before or after January 1, 1988, are qualified for expenditure of funds from the Superb Account, provided that a written report is filed with respect to it. All usual, customary, and reasonable site rehabilitation costs are eligible and any funds expended must be absorbed at the expense of the Superb Account, as available, without recourse to reimbursement or recovery, subject to the following exceptions:

(1) The provisions of this section do not apply to a release at a site where the department has initiated an administrative or civil enforcement action before December 31, 1987.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 44-2-110

  • Compensation: means billing the Superb Account for costs associated with site rehabilitation after receiving prior approval from the department and in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter and criteria established by the department as authorized by this chapter. See South Carolina Code 44-2-20
  • Department: means the Department of Health and Environmental Control. See South Carolina Code 44-2-20
  • Owner: means :

    (a) in the case of an underground storage tank system in use on November 8, 1984, or brought into use after that date, a person who owns an underground storage tank system used for storage, use, or dispensing of regulated substances;

    (b) in the case of any underground storage tank system in use before November 8, 1984, but no longer in use on that date, a person who owned such an underground storage tank immediately before the discontinuation of its use; or

    (c) a person who has assumed legal ownership of the underground storage tank through the provisions of a contract of sale or other legally binding transfer of ownership. See South Carolina Code 44-2-20
  • Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC
  • Release: means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching or disposing from an underground storage tank into subsurface soils, groundwater, or surface water. See South Carolina Code 44-2-20
  • Site rehabilitation: means cleanup actions taken in response to a release from an underground, storage tank which includes, but is not limited to, investigation, evaluation, planning, design, engineering, construction, or other services put forth to investigate or clean up affected subsurface soils, groundwater, or surface water. See South Carolina Code 44-2-20

(2) The provisions of this section do not apply to a release at a site where the department has been denied site access to implement the provisions of this chapter.

(3) The provisions of this section must not be construed to authorize or require compensation from the Superb Account for any costs expended at a release at a site which was either reported to the department or where rehabilitation commenced before December 31, 1987.

(4) The provisions of this section must not be construed to authorize or require compensation from the Superb Account for costs incurred at a release at a site reported to the department between January 1, 1990, and July 1, 1991, unless the costs are in excess of the minimum financial responsibility required of the owner under the applicable provision of § 44-2-70(A) which was in effect at the time the release was reported.

For all releases reported during the time period established in this section, all site rehabilitation costs must be submitted to the department on or before September 30, 1994, to be considered for payment. After September 30, 1994, no costs will be allowed unless prior approval is obtained from the department. Requests for cost approval must be in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter and criteria established by the department as authorized by this chapter.