A. When a release is discovered the owner and operator of an underground storage tank shall take immediate action to stop the release and to identify and mitigate any fire, explosion or vapor hazard.

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B. The owner or operator of an underground storage tank shall take corrective action in response to the release of regulated substances from the tank, except to the extent that this responsibility is limited by section 49-1016, subsection F or section 49-1019, subsection D. A person may take corrective action pursuant to section 49-1016, subsection C.

C. Nothing in this section prevents the director from taking or requiring corrective action pursuant to any other provision of law.

D. Corrective actions shall:

1. Assure the protection of public health and welfare and the environment.

2. To the extent practicable, provide for the control, management or cleanup of regulated substances so as to allow the maximum beneficial use of the water and soil of this state.

3. Be reasonable, necessary, cost-effective and technically feasible.

E. Notwithstanding chapter 2, article 2 of this title, the director may approve a corrective action that may result in water quality exceeding water quality standards after completion of the corrective action, if the director finds that the corrective action meets the requirements of this section. The director’s approval pursuant to this section does not affect the classification of an aquifer pursuant to section 49-224. The director shall adopt rules to implement this section. These rules shall include public notice provisions, criteria for the selection of corrective actions, including the level and extent of cleanup and the comparison of corrective action alternatives that may include plume remediation alternatives, monitoring, source control, controlled migration, physical containment and natural attenuation.

F. The director shall prescribe by rule the corrective actions to be taken in the event of a release of a regulated substance from an underground storage tank. Any rules adopted pursuant to this subsection shall be consistent with and no more stringent than federal regulations in effect on the date on which the rules are adopted. The director shall adopt rules to permit a risk-based corrective action alternative. Corrective actions shall include requirements regarding:

1. Initial response measures.

2. Initial abatement measures.

3. A site check.

4. Initial site characterization.

5. Removal of free product.

6. Investigations for soil, surface water and groundwater cleanups.

7. Responses to contaminated soil, surface water and groundwater.

G. Corrective actions may include the use of biostimulation with indigenous microbes and bioaugmentation using microbes that are nonpathogenic, that are nonopportunistic and that are naturally occurring.

H. Until rules adopted pursuant to subsection F of this section are in effect, corrective actions shall be accomplished in a manner consistent with and no more stringent than 40 Code of Federal Regulations sections 280.60 through 280.67.