(a) Upon application for reimbursement or payment pursuant to section 22a-449f, the commissioner shall determine, based on the provisions of sections 22a-449a to 22a-449i, inclusive, 22a-449p, 22a-449r and 22a-449t, and all regulations adopted pursuant to section 22a-449e, whether or not to order payment or reimbursement from the program. The commissioner shall have the authority to order payment within available resources to registered contractors pursuant to section 22a-449l, or to owners pursuant to section 22a-449n, for reasonable costs associated with the remediation of a residential underground heating oil storage tank system based on the guidelines established pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

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(b) The commissioner shall establish guidelines for determining what costs are reasonable for payment under sections 22a-449l and 22a-449n and shall establish requirements for financial assurance, training and performance standards for registered contractors, as defined in said sections 22a-449l and 22a-449n. The commissioner shall make payment pursuant to section 22a-449n to the owner at a rate not to exceed one hundred fifty-seven dollars per ton of contaminated soil removed which shall be considered as full payment for all eligible costs for remediation. For any claim filed pursuant to section 22a-449n where no contaminated soil is removed the commissioner shall reimburse eligible costs in accordance with the guidelines pursuant to this section.

(c) To the extent that funds are available, the commissioner may order payment to registered contractors for reimbursement of eligible costs for services associated with the remediation of a residential underground heating oil storage tank system prior to July 1, 2001, to owners of such systems for payment for eligible costs incurred after July 1, 2001. No such payment shall be authorized unless the commissioner deems the costs reasonable based on the guidelines established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, if the commissioner determines that the owner may not receive reimbursement payment from the contractor, the commissioner may, if reimbursement has not been sent to the contractor, directly reimburse the owner of such system for eligible costs incurred by the owner and paid to the registered contractor for services associated with a remediation of a system prior to July 1, 2001.