DelawareDelaware cleanup officials may authorize short-term cleanup work
Delaware’s cleanup law allows officials to authorize short-term cleanup work when needed and lets the Secretary seek cleanup costs and natural resource damages in court.
What it does
When there is good cause to protect people or the environment, the Secretary may authorize short-term cleanup work; the Department must include it in any proposed cleanup plan.
The Secretary may seek cleanup costs, including attorney fees and employee time, and natural resource damages from potentially responsible parties in a court with authority to hear the case.
Argument forOfficials may be able to respond sooner to a release that threatens people or the environment by authorizing short-term cleanup work.
Argument againstAllowing a person to start cleanup before the full plan is proposed could lead to work that later needs to be addressed in that plan.
More detail
The Secretary may authorize a person to perform a short-term cleanup action. A removal action is a short-term or interim response to a release or threatened release that addresses a threat to public health or welfare, or the environment. The Secretary must have good cause to believe the action is needed to protect people or the environment. The Department must include the action in any proposed cleanup plan.
The Secretary may sue in a court with authority to hear the case to recover cleanup costs or damages to natural resources. The actions may seek natural resource damages from a potentially responsible party, or the Secretary’s cleanup costs, including attorney fees and employee time.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Aug 17Signed by Governor Matt MeyerBecame Law
- Jun 25Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YESPassed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 23Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 5 On Its MeritsMinor
- Jun 18Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in SenateMinor
- Vote recorded Passage. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 18Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENTPassed House
- Jun 18Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Passed In House by Voice VoteMajor
- Jun 12Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Introduced and Placed With BillMinor
- Jun 12Assigned to Ready List
- Jun 11Adopted in lieu of the original bill HB 407, and Assigned to Appropriations Committee in HouseIntroduced
Environment & Energy