HOUSE AMENDED
        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 12, 677                  PRINTER'S NO. 1017

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 11 Session of 1995


        INTRODUCED BY STEWART, BRIGHTBILL, PORTERFIELD, SHAFFER,
           LAVALLE, MUSTO, BELAN, JUBELIRER, SALVATORE, MELLOW, LOEPER,
           FUMO, ANDREZESKI, BELL, TARTAGLIONE, BODACK, PUNT, MOWERY,
           KASUNIC, RHOADES, HELFRICK, STOUT, SCHWARTZ, WENGER,
           GREENLEAF, HECKLER, LEMMOND, MADIGAN, PETERSON, ROBBINS,
           SHUMAKER, O'PAKE, WAGNER, STAPLETON, JONES, CORMAN, DAWIDA,
           DELP, HART, ULIANA, GERLACH AND BAKER, JANUARY 17, 1995

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND
           ENERGY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 26, 1995

                                     AN ACT

     1  Limiting environmental liability for economic development
     2     agencies, financiers and fiduciaries.

     3     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     4  hereby enacts as follows:
     5  Section 1.  Short title.
     6     This act shall be known and may be cited as the Economic
     7  Development Agency, FIDUCIARY and Lender Environmental Liability  <--
     8  Protection Act.
     9  Section 2.  Declaration of policy.
    10     The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
    11         (1)  The Commonwealth has provided grant and loan funds
    12     to a variety of economic development agencies, all for the
    13     purpose of assisting these agencies in their efforts to
    14     promote the general welfare of this Commonwealth by


     1     encouraging economic development and industrial redevelopment
     2     throughout this Commonwealth.
     3         (2)  Economic development agencies acquire title to
     4     industrial property for financing purposes only and lease or
     5     sell the same to industrial occupants who have sole
     6     possession of the facilities for an amount of rent or
     7     installment payments pursuant to an installment sale contract
     8     which is determined solely on a basis of meeting the costs of
     9     the financing and other costs associated with ownership
    10     unrelated to profit.
    11         (3)  Economic development agencies acquire possession of
    12     these industrial sites from time to time when the industrial
    13     occupant defaults under its obligations to the agencies under
    14     its lease or installment sales agreements.
    15         (4)  Economic development agencies also acquire
    16     industrial property either for the purpose of financing or
    17     redevelopment but without a motive for profit or to occupy
    18     the property for their own industrial operations.
    19         (5)  Economic development agencies are reluctant to
    20     acquire title to or other interests in property whether for
    21     financing or redevelopment purposes or to secure repayment of
    22     obligations unless the economic development agencies are
    23     protected from liability for environmental contamination on
    24     those sites they seek to assist to develop.
    25         (6)  The taking of legal title and any foreclosure or
    26     retaking of possession of property by an industrial
    27     development agency, area loan organization or industrial and
    28     commercial development authority is pursuant to the following
    29     acts:
    30             (i)  The act of May 17, 1956 (1955 P.L.1609, No.537),
    19950S0011B1017                  - 2 -

     1         known as the Pennsylvania Industrial Development
     2         Authority Act, which expressly requires that the
     3         Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority loan money
     4         to industrial development agencies secured by not less
     5         than a second mortgage lien.
     6             (ii)  The act of August 23, 1967 (P.L.251, No.102),
     7         known as the Economic Development Financing Law, which
     8         provides for issuance of debt by industrial and
     9         commercial development authorities and authorizes these
    10         authorities to take title to real property as security
    11         for the indebtedness.
    12             (iii)  The act of July 2, 1984 (P.L.545, No.109),
    13         known as the Capital Loan Fund Act, which requires that
    14         its loans be made to area loan organizations with
    15         adequate collateral.
    16         (7)  The maximum level of economic development and
    17     business opportunity and employment and the elimination or
    18     prevention of abandoned industrial and commercial property
    19     and Federal Government or military lands which can best be
    20     provided by the promotion, attraction, stimulation,
    21     rehabilitation and revitalization of all types of industry,
    22     commerce, manufacturing and business development within this
    23     Commonwealth.
    24         (8)  To continue and further the stimulation of business
    25     opportunities and economic development within this
    26     Commonwealth and thereby cause the reuse and rehabilitation
    27     of industrial and commercial property, it is necessary to
    28     ensure various means of financing to promote economic growth
    29     and the availability of fiduciary services to persons within
    30     this Commonwealth.
    19950S0011B1017                  - 3 -

     1         (9)  Lenders are reluctant to provide funding for
     2     business opportunities and economic development, and
     3     fiduciaries are reluctant to provide services to persons with
     4     environmental problems, because of catastrophic risks of
     5     environmental liability and remediation costs under
     6     environmental laws relating to releases and contamination
     7     which were not caused by lenders and fiduciaries.
     8         (10)  When borrowers default on loans, lenders are
     9     reluctant to foreclose upon commercial property with
    10     environmental problems because lenders may be forced to
    11     assume costly environmental liabilities; thus, commercial
    12     property is being abandoned in this Commonwealth and new
    13     businesses are unable to obtain financing to purchase such
    14     properties.
    15         (11)  Family businesses are unable to establish trusts to
    16     convey their business interests to the next generation and
    17     other businesses are unable to receive retirement, investment
    18     and other trust services from fiduciaries, when fiduciaries,
    19     in their personal or individual capacities, may be held
    20     liable for environmental contamination caused by other
    21     persons merely by virtue of owning property in their trustee
    22     capacities and providing fiduciary services.
    23         (12)  In order to continue to stimulate growth and
    24     continue the use or reuse of industrial and commercial
    25     property, it is necessary to provide protection, to lenders,
    26     fiduciaries and economic development agencies, from
    27     environmental liability and remediation costs under
    28     environmental laws for releases and contamination caused by
    29     others.
    30         (13)  Environmental liability for lenders, fiduciaries
    19950S0011B1017                  - 4 -

     1     and economic development agencies shall be limited in scope
     2     as specifically provided in this act, and this act shall be
     3     interpreted as broadly as possible in order to preempt any
     4     laws, regulations or ordinances imposing environmental
     5     liability on such persons in order to promote economic
     6     development.
     7  Section 3.  Definitions.
     8     The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
     9  have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
    10  context clearly indicates otherwise:
    11     "Board."  The Environmental Hearing Board of the
    12  Commonwealth.
    13     "Borrower."  A person who has received an extension of
    14  credit. The term includes, but is not limited to, a debtor, a
    15  lessor, a lessee or an obligor.
    16     "Conservancy."  A charitable corporation, charitable
    17  association or charitable trust registered with the Bureau of
    18  Charitable Organizations and exempt from taxation pursuant to
    19  section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public
    20  Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)) or other Federal or
    21  Commonwealth statutes or regulations, the purpose or powers of
    22  which include retaining or protecting natural, scenic,
    23  agricultural or open-space values of real property; assuring the
    24  availability of real property for agricultural, forest,
    25  recreational or open-space use; protecting natural resources and
    26  wildlife; maintaining or enhancing land, air or water quality;
    27  or preserving the historical, architectural, archaeological or
    28  cultural aspects of real property.
    29     "Department."  The Department of Environmental Resources of
    30  the Commonwealth.
    19950S0011B1017                  - 5 -

     1     "Economic development agencies."  The term includes:
     2         (1)  Any redevelopment authority created under the act of
     3     May 24, 1945 (P.L.991, No.385), known as the Urban
     4     Redevelopment Law.
     5         (2)  Any industrial development agency as that term is
     6     defined in the act of May 17, 1956 (1955 P.L.1609, No.537),
     7     known as the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority
     8     Act.
     9         (3)  Any industrial and commercial development authority
    10     created under the act of August 23, 1967 (P.L.251, No.102),
    11     known as the Economic Development Financing Law.
    12         (4)  Any area loan organization as that term is defined
    13     in the act of July 2, 1984 (P.L.545, No.109), known as the
    14     Capital Loan Fund Act.
    15         (5)  Any other Commonwealth or municipal authority which
    16     acquires title or an interest in property.
    17         (6)  Municipalities or municipal industrial development
    18     or community development departments organized by ordinance
    19     under a home rule charter which buy and sell land for
    20     community development purposes.
    21         (7)  Tourist promotion agencies or their local community-
    22     based nonprofit sponsor which engage in the acquisition of
    23     former industrial sites as part of an "Industrial Heritage"
    24     or similar program.
    25         (8)  Conservancies engaged in the renewal or reclamation
    26     of an industrial site.
    27     "Environmental acts."  Collectively and separately, the act
    28  of June 22, 1937 (P.L.1987, No.394), known as The Clean Streams
    29  Law, the act of January 8, 1960 (1959 P.L.2119, No.787), known
    30  as the Air Pollution Control Act, the act of July 7, 1980
    19950S0011B1017                  - 6 -

     1  (P.L.380, No.97), known as the Solid Waste Management Act, the
     2  act of October 5, 1984 (P.L.734, No.159), known as the Worker
     3  and Community Right-to-Know Act, the act of July 13, 1988
     4  (P.L.525, No.93), referred to as the Infectious and
     5  Chemotherapeutic Waste Law, the act of October 18, 1988
     6  (P.L.756, No.108), known as the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act, the
     7  act of July 6, 1989 (P.L.169, No.32), known as the Storage Tank
     8  and Spill Prevention Act, the act of December 7, 1990 (P.L.639,
     9  No.165), known as the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and
    10  Response Act, and the act of June 11, 1992 (P.L.303, No.52),
    11  known as the Oil Spill Responder Liability Act, and all such
    12  acts as they may be amended from time to time, and any Federal,
    13  State or local law, statute, regulation, rule, ordinance, court
    14  or administrative order or decree, interpretation or guidance,
    15  now or hereafter in existence pertaining to employees,
    16  occupational health and safety, public health or safety, natural
    17  resources or the environment.
    18     "Environmental due diligence."  Investigative techniques,
    19  including, but not limited to, visual property inspections,
    20  electronic environmental data base searches, review of ownership
    21  and use history of the property, environmental questionnaires,
    22  transaction screens, environmental assessments or audits.
    23     "Fiduciary."  Any person which is considered a fiduciary
    24  under section 3(21) of the Employee Retirement Income Security
    25  Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-406, 88 Stat. 829) or who acts as
    26  trustee, executor, administrator, custodian, guardian of
    27  estates, conservator, committee of estates of persons who are
    28  disabled, personal representative, receiver, agent, nominee,
    29  registrar of stocks and bonds, assignee or in any other capacity
    30  for the benefit of another person.
    19950S0011B1017                  - 7 -

     1     "Foreclosure."  The date upon which title vests in property
     2  through realizing upon a security interest, including, but not
     3  limited to, any ownership of property recognized under
     4  applicable law as vesting the holder of the security interest
     5  with some indicia of title, legal or equitable title obtained at
     6  or in lieu of foreclosure, sheriff sales, bankruptcy
     7  distributions and their equivalents.
     8     "Fund."  Collectively and separately, any special fund of
     9  Commonwealth moneys administered by the Commonwealth or the
    10  Department of Environmental Resources, including, but not
    11  limited to, the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund and the Underground
    12  Storage Tank Indemnification Fund, as well as any other fund of
    13  Commonwealth moneys now or hereafter in existence created for
    14  the funding or reimbursement of costs and damages such as
    15  response costs, emergency response measures and their equivalent
    16  relating to natural resources or the environment.
    17     "Guarantor."  The term includes guarantors and sureties of
    18  security interests, securities and other obligations, issuers of
    19  letters of credit and other credit enhancements, title insurers
    20  and entities which directly or indirectly acquire indicia of
    21  ownership in the course of protecting a security interest or
    22  acting as such guarantors, sureties, issuers of letters of
    23  credit or other credit enhancements or title insurers. The term
    24  includes guaranties, surety bonds, title insurance policies,
    25  letters of credit and other credit enhancements, and other
    26  agreements with a guarantor relating to the obligations
    27  described in this definition. The term directly or indirectly
    28  includes any interest in property, security interest, indicia of
    29  ownership title or right to title held or acquired by a
    30  fiduciary or similar entity for the benefit of a holder of a
    19950S0011B1017                  - 8 -

     1  security interest.
     2     "Indicia of ownership."  Any legal or equitable interest in
     3  property acquired directly or indirectly:
     4         (1)  for securing payment of a loan or indebtedness, a
     5     right of reimbursement or subrogation under a guaranty or the
     6     performance of another obligation;
     7         (2)  evidencing ownership under a lease financing
     8     transaction where the lessor does not initially select or
     9     ordinarily control the daily operation or maintenance of the
    10     property; or
    11         (3)  in the course of creating, protecting or enforcing a
    12     security interest or right of reimbursement of subrogation
    13     under a guaranty.
    14  The term includes evidence of interest in mortgages, deeds of
    15  trust, liens, surety bonds, guaranties, lease financing
    16  transactions where the lessor does not initially select or
    17  ordinarily control the daily operation or maintenance of the
    18  property, other forms of encumbrances against property
    19  recognized under applicable law as vesting the holder of the
    20  security interest with some indicia of title.
    21     "Industrial activity."  Commercial, manufacturing, public
    22  utility, mining or any other activity done to further either the
    23  development, manufacturing or distribution of goods and
    24  services, intermediate and final products and solid waste
    25  created during such activities, including, but not limited to,
    26  administration of business activities, research and development,
    27  warehousing, shipping, transport, remanufacturing, stockpiling
    28  of raw materials, storage, repair and maintenance of commercial
    29  machinery and equipment and solid waste management.
    30     "Industrial site."  A site which now has or once had an
    19950S0011B1017                  - 9 -

     1  industrial activity on it.
     2     "Lender."  Any person regulated or supervised by any Federal
     3  or State regulatory agency and any of its affiliates or
     4  subsidiaries, successors or assigns, including its officers,
     5  directors, employees, representatives or agents, and any Federal
     6  or State banking or lending agency or its successors, including,
     7  but not limited to, Resolution Trust Corporation, Federal
     8  Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Reserve Bank, Board of
     9  Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Home Loan Bank,
    10  National Credit Union Administrator Board, Office of the
    11  Comptroller of the Currency, Office of Thrift Supervision, Farm
    12  Credit Administration and Small Business Administration or
    13  similarly chartered Federal instrumentality. The term also
    14  includes the initial lender and any subsequent holder of a
    15  security interest or note, guarantor, lease financier or any
    16  successor or a receiver or other person who acts on behalf or
    17  for the benefit of a holder of a security interest. The term
    18  includes an economic development agency.
    19     "Occupant."  A party which occupies or has the right to
    20  occupy property owned by an economic development agency by any
    21  instrument, including, but not limited to, a lease, mortgage,
    22  installment sale contract, disposition agreement or trust
    23  agreement.
    24     "Person."  An individual, partnership, corporation, business
    25  trust, joint-stock fund, estate trust, banking association,
    26  governmental, administrative or regulatory agency, institution
    27  or any other type of legal entity whatsoever.
    28     "Property."  All types of real and personal and tangible and
    29  intangible property.
    30     "Redevelopment."  Undertakings and activities made under the
    19950S0011B1017                 - 10 -

     1  act of May 24, 1945 (P.L.991, No.385), known as the Urban
     2  Redevelopment Law, including, but not limited to, planning,
     3  acquisition, site preparation, demolition, rehabilitation,
     4  renovation, conservation, reuse, renewal, improvement,
     5  clearance, sale and lease of real property and improvements
     6  thereon.
     7     "Regulated substance."  Any element, compound or material
     8  which is subject to regulation under the environmental acts or
     9  any element, compound or material defined as a hazardous, toxic,
    10  regulated infectious chemotherapeutic substance or chemical
    11  contaminant, waste, any type of pollution or condition or any
    12  equivalent under the environmental acts.
    13     "Release."  Any spill, rupture, emission, discharge, other
    14  action, occurrence, condition or any other term defined as a
    15  "release" or other threat of release or operative word or event
    16  which would trigger compliance requirements or liability under
    17  the environmental acts.
    18     "Response action."  An action, including, but not limited to,
    19  a response or interim response, remedial response or remedy or
    20  corrective action, closure, or any other action under the
    21  environmental acts in response to a release, such as testing,
    22  inspections, sampling, installations, corrective action,
    23  removals, closure, response costs, assessments or any types of
    24  claims, damages, actions, fines and penalties.
    25     "Security interest."  An interest in property created or
    26  established for the purpose of securing a loan, right of
    27  reimbursement or subrogation under a guaranty or other
    28  obligation or constituting a lease financing transaction. The
    29  term includes security interests created under 13 Pa.C.S.
    30  (relating to commercial code), mortgages, deeds of trust, liens,
    19950S0011B1017                 - 11 -

     1  lease financing transactions in which the lessor does not
     2  initially select or ordinarily control the daily operation or
     3  maintenance of the property, trust receipt transactions and
     4  their equivalents. Security interest may also arise from
     5  transactions such as sales and leasebacks, conditional sales,
     6  installment sales, certain assignments, factoring agreements,
     7  accounts receivable, financing arrangements and consignments, if
     8  the transaction creates or establishes an interest in property
     9  for the purpose of securing a loan, right of reimbursement or
    10  subrogation under a guaranty or other obligation. The term also
    11  includes a confession of judgment or money judgment whereby a
    12  lender commences an execution on such judgments with a writ of
    13  execution and thereby causes property to be levied and attached.
    14  Section 4.  Limitation of economic development agency
    15                 environmental liability.
    16     An economic development agency that holds an indicia of
    17  ownership in property as a security interest for the purpose of
    18  developing or redeveloping the property or to finance an
    19  economic development or redevelopment activity shall not be
    20  liable under the environmental acts to the department or to any
    21  other person in accordance with the following:
    22         (1)  An economic development agency shall not be liable
    23     in an action by the department, as a responsible person,
    24     owner, operator or occupier, for remediating a release if the  <--
    25     economic development agency demonstrates any of the
    26     following:
    27             (i)  The economic development agency exercised
    28         reasonable maintenance of the property when it had
    29         possession of the property.
    30             (ii)  The economic development agency, including its
    19950S0011B1017                 - 12 -

     1         employees and agents, did not cause or exacerbate a
     2         release of regulated substances on or from the property.
     3             (iii)  The property is an industrial site. UNLESS THE  <--
     4         ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, ITS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS
     5         DIRECTLY CAUSE AN IMMEDIATE RELEASE, OR DIRECTLY
     6         EXACERBATE A RELEASE, OF A REGULATED SUBSTANCE ON OR FROM
     7         THE PROPERTY.
     8         (2)  An economic development agency which forecloses on
     9     or assumes possession of a property shall remain within the
    10     exemption from liability under this section.
    11         (3)  An economic development agency that conducts a
    12     remedial action in accordance with a written agreement with
    13     the department shall not be liable, as a responsible party,
    14     owner, operator or occupier, in any action by the department
    15     for a release or potential release of any regulated
    16     substance.
    17         (4)  There is cooperation with governmental agencies
    18     performing a remedial action, as follows:
    19             (i)  An economic development agency and any of its
    20         successors and assigns may take no action that would
    21         disturb or be inconsistent with remedial response that is
    22         proposed, approved or implemented by the Federal
    23         Environmental Protection Agency.
    24             (ii)  An economic development agency and any of its
    25         successors and assigns shall permit access to Federal and
    26         Commonwealth agencies and other parties acting under the
    27         direction of these agencies to evaluate, perform or
    28         maintain a remedial action.
    29             (iii)  An economic development agency or any of its
    30         successors and assigns shall perform, operate and
    19950S0011B1017                 - 13 -

     1         maintain remedial actions pursuant to State laws as
     2         directed by the department.
     3  Section 5.  Limitation of lender environmental liability.
     4     (a)  Scope of lender liability.--A lender who engages in
     5  activities involved in the routine practices of commercial
     6  lending, including, but not limited to, the providing of
     7  financial services, holding of security interests, workout
     8  practices, foreclosure or the recovery of funds from the sale of
     9  property shall not be liable under the environmental acts or
    10  common law equivalents to the Department of Environmental
    11  Resources or to any other person by virtue of the fact that the
    12  lender engages in such commercial lending practice unless:
    13         (1)  the lender, its employees or agents directly cause
    14     an immediate release or directly exacerbate a release of
    15     regulated substances on or from the property; or
    16         (2)  the lender, its employees or agents knowingly and
    17     willfully compelled the borrower to:
    18             (i)  do an action which caused an immediate release
    19         of regulated substances; or
    20             (ii)  violate an environmental act.
    21     (b)  Limitation of lender liability.--Liability pursuant to
    22  this act shall be limited to the cost for a response action
    23  which may be directly attributable to the lender's activities as
    24  specified in subsection (a). Liability shall arise only if the
    25  lender's actions were the proximate and efficient cause of the
    26  release or violation. Ownership or control of the property after
    27  foreclosure shall not by itself trigger liability. No lender
    28  shall be liable for any response action, if such response action
    29  arises solely from a release of regulated substances which
    30  occurred prior to or commences before and continues after
    19950S0011B1017                 - 14 -

     1  foreclosure, provided, however, that the lender shall be
     2  responsible for that portion of the response action which is
     3  directly attributed to the lender's exacerbation of a release. A
     4  release of regulated substances discovered in the course of
     5  conducting environmental due diligence shall be presumed to be a
     6  prior or continuing release on the property.
     7  Section 6.  Limitation of fiduciary environmental liability.
     8     (a)  Scope of fiduciary liability.--Any person who acts or
     9  has acted as a fiduciary to another person shall not be liable
    10  in its personal or individual capacity under the environmental
    11  acts or common law equivalents to the department or to any other
    12  person by virtue of the fact that the fiduciary provides or
    13  provided such services unless:
    14         (1)  during the time when the fiduciary services were
    15     actively provided, an event occurred which constituted a
    16     release of regulated substances according to the
    17     environmental acts at the time of such event;
    18         (2)  the fiduciary had the express power and authority to
    19     control property which was the cause of or the site of such
    20     release as part of actively providing services; and
    21         (3)  the release was caused by an act or omission which
    22     constituted gross negligence or willful misconduct of the
    23     fiduciary according to the law or standard practices at the
    24     time of the release.
    25     (b)  Limitation of fiduciary liability.--Liability under this
    26  act shall be limited to only the cost for a response action
    27  which is directly attributable to the fiduciary's activities as
    28  specified in this section. Under subsection (a)(2), control of
    29  property shall be deemed to be in the lessee and not the lessor
    30  for leased property. No fiduciary shall be liable for any
    19950S0011B1017                 - 15 -

     1  response action, if such response action arises from a release
     2  of regulated substances which occurred prior to, or commences
     3  before and continues after the fiduciary takes action as
     4  specified in subsection (a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a
     5  fiduciary shall be responsible for that portion of a response
     6  action which is directly attributable to exacerbating a release.
     7  A release of regulated substances discovered in the course of
     8  conducting an environmental due diligence shall be presumed to
     9  be a prior and continuing release on the property.
    10     (c)  Estate claims.--Nothing in this section shall prevent
    11  claims against the fiduciary in its representative capacity.
    12  Section 7.  Defenses to liability.
    13     A lender, fiduciary or economic development agency can avoid
    14  liability under the environmental acts or the common-law
    15  equivalents by showing evidence that a release or threatened
    16  release of regulated substances for which the lender or
    17  fiduciary otherwise is responsible under sections 4, 5 and 6 was
    18  caused by any of the following:
    19         (1)  An act of God.
    20         (2)  An intervening act of a public agency.
    21         (3)  Migration from property owned by a third party.
    22         (4)  Actions taken or omitted in the course of rendering
    23     care, assistance or advice in accordance with the
    24     environmental acts or at the direction of the department.
    25         (5)  An act of a third party who was not an agent or
    26     employee of the lender, fiduciary or economic development
    27     agency.
    28         (6)  If the alleged liability for a lender or economic
    29     development agency arises after foreclosure, and the lender
    30     or economic development agency exercised due care with
    19950S0011B1017                 - 16 -

     1     respect to the lender's or economic development agency's
     2     knowledge about the regulated substances, and took reasonable
     3     precautions based upon such knowledge against foreseeable
     4     actions of third parties and the consequences arising
     5     therefrom. A lender, fiduciary or economic development agency
     6     can avoid liability by proving any other defense which may be
     7     available to it under the environmental acts or common law.
     8  Section 8.  Savings clause.
     9     Nothing in this act shall affect the rights, immunities or
    10  other defenses that are available under other applicable law to
    11  a lender, fiduciary or economic development agency, including,
    12  but not limited to, rights of contribution and indemnity.
    13  Nothing in this act shall be construed to create any new,
    14  different or additional liability for or create a private right
    15  of action against any lender, fiduciary or economic development
    16  agency.
    17  Section 9.  Apportionment of liability.
    18     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if two or more
    19  persons acting independently cause distinct harm or a single
    20  harm for which there is a reasonable basis for division
    21  according to the contribution of each, a lender, fiduciary or
    22  economic development agency shall be subject to liability only
    23  for the portion of the total liability that is directly
    24  attributable to the lender, fiduciary or economic development
    25  agency.
    26  Section 10.  Construction of act.
    27     The terms and conditions of this act are to be liberally
    28  construed so as to best achieve and effectuate the goals and
    29  purposes of this act. Liability shall be based on proximate and
    30  efficient causation. This act preempts and eliminates all
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     1  present liability standards, including, but not limited to, the
     2  concept of a person who, without participation in the management
     3  of property, holds indicia of ownership primarily to protect a
     4  security interest. Under all provisions herein, the burden of
     5  proof shall be upon the person seeking to have a lender,
     6  fiduciary or economic development agency held liable for a
     7  response action or damages.
     8  Section 11.  Severability.
     9     The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of
    10  this act or its application to any person or circumstance is
    11  held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions
    12  or applications of this act which can be given effect without
    13  the invalid provision or application.
    14  Section 12.  Repeals.
    15     To the extent that any environmental acts are inconsistent
    16  with this act, or pose liability as addressed in this act, such
    17  provision of those laws are preempted and deemed repealed so
    18  that the provisions of this act may be enforced. No
    19  environmental law enacted after this act shall be applied
    20  retroactively to impose liability upon lenders, fiduciaries or
    21  economic development agencies, unless there are express
    22  repealers which explain the extent of the repeal.
    23  Section 13.  Applicability.
    24     The provisions of this act shall apply to the following:
    25         (1)  All indicia of ownership, including those presently
    26     or subsequently acquired, or those acquired prior to the date
    27     of enactment that are held primarily to protect a security
    28     interest in the property.
    29         (2)  Each fiduciary with respect to any services provided
    30     by the fiduciary, including those presently or subsequently
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     1     provided, and those rendered prior to the date of enactment.
     2         (3)  All administrative actions, actions, suits or claims
     3     against lenders, fiduciaries or economic development agencies
     4     not yet finally resolved by the department or any court or
     5     administrative hearing board having any action, suit or claim
     6     pending before it or an appeal from a lower court, regardless
     7     of when the release or interest in the subject property
     8     occurred.
     9  Section 14.  Effective date.
    10     This act shall take effect immediately upon the effective
    11  date of the act of            , 1995 (P.L.    , No.    ), known
    12  as the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards
    13  Act.












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