House Bill 1632, also known as Senate Bill 1884, amends the Tennessee Code Annotated regarding the drycleaner environmental response program. The bill introduces new definitions, including "recently abandoned" for drycleaning facilities closed within 180 days prior to a petition submission, "registered facility" for any registered drycleaning operation or abandoned facility, and "wholesale distributor." It also modifies existing definitions, such as the "drycleaner environmental response fund," and expands the scope of contaminants to include soil gas vapor. The bill outlines the responsibilities of the commissioner, including developing remediation strategies, managing the fund, and establishing rules for facility registration and compliance.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that owners or operators of drycleaning facilities must register annually and pay associated fees, with specific provisions for recently abandoned facilities. It sets limits on fund expenditures for remediation and establishes penalties for non-compliance with registration and fee requirements. Importantly, it provides liability protections for registered facility owners who comply with the program's requirements, while also clarifying that personal injury claims related to solvent exposure are not exempt from liability. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 68-217-102, 68-217-102(5), 68-217-102(10), 68-217-102(13), 68-217-102(14), 68-217-105, 68-217-106, 68-217-107, 68-217-108, 68-217-111