98 STAT. 3280
Courts, U.S.
PUBLIC LAW 98-616—NOV. 8, 1984
the tank, the technical capability of the owners and operators, and the compatibility of the regulated substance and the materials of which the tank is fabricated. "(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The regulations promulgated pursuant to this section shall include, but need not be limited to, the following requirements respecting all underground storage tanks— "(1) requirements for maintaining a leak detection system, an inventory control system together with tank testing, or a comparable system or method designed to identify releases in a manner consistent with the protection of human health and the environment; "(2) requirements for maintaining records of any monitoring or leak detection system or inventory control system or tank testing or comparable system; "(3) requirements for reporting of releases and corrective action taken in response to a release from an underground storage tank; "(4) requirements for taking corrective action in response to a releeise from an underground storage tank; and "(5) requirements for the closure of tanks to prevent future releases of regulated substances into the environment. "(d) FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.—(1) As he deems necessary or desirable, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations containing requirements for maintaining evidence of financial responsibility as he deems necessary and desirable f'>r taking corrective action and compensating third parties for bodily injury and property damage caused by sudden and nonsudden accidental releases arising from operating an underground storage-tank. "(2) Financial responsibility required by this subsection may be established in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Administrator by any one, or any combination, of the following: insurance, guarantee, surety bond, letter of credit, or qualification as a self-insurer. In promulgating requirements under this subsection, the Administrator is authorized to specify policy or other contractual terms, conditions, or defenses which are necessary or are unacceptable in establishing such evidence of financial responsibility in order to effectuate the purposes of this subtitle. "(3) In any case where the owner or operator is in bankruptcy, reorganization, or arrangement pursuant to the Federal Bankruptcy Code or where with reasonable diligence jurisdiction in any State court of the Federal Courts cannot be obtained over an owner or operator likely to be solvent at the time of judgment, any claim arising from conduct for which evidence of financial responsibility must be provided under this subsection may be asserted directly against the guarantor providing such evidence of financial responsibility. In the case of any action pursuant to this paragraph such guarantor shall be entitled to invoke all rights and defenses which would have been available to the owner or operator if any action had been brought against the owner or operator by the claimant and which would have been available to the guarantor if an action had been brought against the guarantor by the owner or operator. "(4) The total liability of any guarantor shall be limited to the aggregate amount which the guarantor has provided as evidence of financial responsibility to the owner or operator under this section. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit any other State or Federal statutory, contractual or common law liability of a guarantor to its owner or operator including, but not limited to, the
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