Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in Sections 79885 and 79890, the director may release from liability under this part or Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 25100) of Division 20, and from liability for any claims of the state for recovery of response costs under the federal act, any of the following persons, with regard to a removal or remedial action at the site:
(a) Any person who provides financing for all, or a substantial part of, the costs of performing a removal or remedial action at the site pursuant to a remedial action plan prepared by a qualified independent consultant and issued by the department pursuant to Section 79210 and subdivision (a) of Section 79215, except that the release from liability shall not release the person providing this financing from liability for any hazardous substance release or threatened release resulting from that person’s exercise of decisionmaking control over the performance of the removal or remedial action while the responsible party owner remains in possession of the site.
(b) Any person who enters into an agreement with the responsible party owner to provide development services for the development of all, or a part of, the site, including a developer, who becomes a partner in a joint venture partnership with the responsible party owner, if the joint venture is formed for purposes of the development of the site and legal title to the site is transferred by the responsible party owner to the joint venture. If a release from liability is granted to a developer pursuant to this subdivision and the legal title to the site is transferred by the responsible party owner to a joint venture between the developer and the responsible party owner of the site, the responsible party owner shall not be relieved of liability under this part.
(c) Any person who acquires an ownership or leasehold interest in all or a part of the site after performance of the removal or remedial action specified in the remedial action plan for the site, or part of the site, has been completed to the satisfaction of the department.
(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 257, Sec. 2. (AB 2293) Effective January 1, 2023. Operative January 1, 2024, pursuant to Sec. 4 of Stats. 2022, Ch. 257.)