(415 ILCS 5/57.12)

Sec. 57.12. Underground storage tanks; enforcement; liability.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision or rule of law, the owner or operator, or both, of an underground storage tank shall be liable for all costs of investigation, preventive action, corrective action and enforcement action incurred by the State of Illinois resulting from an underground storage tank. Nothing in this Section shall affect or modify in any way:

(1) The obligations or liability of any person under any other provision of this Act or State or federal law, including common law, for damages, injury or loss resulting from a release or substantial threat of a release as described above; or

(2) the liability of any person under this Section for costs incurred by the State of Illinois for preventive action, corrective action and enforcement action that are not paid with monies from the Underground Storage Tank Fund.

(b) Nothing in this Section shall affect or modify in any way the obligations or liability of any person under any other provision of this Act or State or federal law, including common law, to investigate, respond to, remediate, or clean up a release of a regulated substance from an underground storage tank.

(c) The Agency has the authority to do either of the following:

(1) Provide notice to the owner or operator, or both, of an underground storage tank whenever there is a release or substantial threat of a release of petroleum from such tank. Such notice shall include the identified investigation or response action and an opportunity for the owner or operator, or both, to perform the response action.

(2) Undertake investigative, preventive or corrective action whenever there is a release or a substantial threat of a release of petroleum from an underground storage tank.

(d) If notice has been provided under this Section, the Agency has the authority to require the owner or operator, or both, of an underground storage tank to undertake preventive or corrective action whenever there is a release or substantial threat of a release of petroleum from such tank.

(e) The Director of the Agency is authorized to enter into such contracts and agreements as may be necessary, and as expeditiously as necessary, to carry out the Agency's duties or responsibilities under this Title.

(f) (1) The owner or operator, or both, of an underground storage tank may be liable to the State of Illinois for punitive damages in an amount at least equal to, and not more than 3 times, the amount of any costs incurred by the State as a result of the State's response to a release or a substantial threat of a release of petroleum from the underground storage tank if the owner or operator failed, without sufficient cause, to respond to a release or a substantial threat of a release of a regulated substance from the underground storage tank upon, or in accordance with, a notice issued by the Agency under this Section.

(2) The punitive damages imposed under this subsection (f) shall be in addition to any costs recovered from that person pursuant to this Section and in addition to any other penalty or relief provided by this Act, or any other law.

(g) The standard of liability under this Section is the standard of liability under Section 22.2(f) of this Act.

(h) Neither the State of Illinois, nor the Director of the Agency, nor any State employee shall be liable for any damages or injuries arising out of or resulting from any action taken under this Section.

(i) The costs and damages provided for in this Section may be imposed by the Board or the Circuit Court in an action brought before the Board or the Circuit Court in accordance with Title VIII of this Act, except that Section 33(c) of this Act shall not apply to the action. Costs recovered pursuant to this Section shall be deposited in the fund from which the monies were expended. Damages recovered under this Section shall be deposited in the Underground Storage Tank Fund.

(Source: P.A. 88-496; 89-428, eff. 1-1-96; 89-457, eff. 5-22-96.)