The bill SB321 amends Sections 22-30D-4 and 22-30D-7 of the Code of Alabama 1975, focusing on the Alabama Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund Advisory Board. Notable changes include the deletion of the requirement for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to prevent other governmental units from engaging in contamination issues related to drycleaning facilities. Additionally, the minimum balance required in the Alabama Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund is reduced from one million dollars to two hundred fifty thousand dollars. The bill also clarifies the election of coverage for owners and operators of drycleaning facilities, ensuring a clear notification process to the department, and emphasizes that fund resources will be used exclusively for addressing contamination from drycleaning agents.

Moreover, the bill introduces a framework for investigating and remediating contamination at drycleaning facilities, including criteria for reporting suspected contamination and prioritizing assessments. It establishes a deductible for remediation costs, with the first $10,000 for general owners and $50,000 for wholesale distributors. The bill specifies that no payments will be made from the fund for costs incurred prior to May 24, 2000, and allows impacted third parties to seek reimbursement above the deductible. It also sets a cap of $250,000 per fiscal year for expenditures related to any site unless an imminent threat is identified. The bill outlines ineligible sites for funding and is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 22-30D-4, 22-30D-7
Enrolled: 22-30D-4, 22-30D-7