ORS 466.205: Liability for improper disposal of waste; costs; lien for department expenditures.

(1) Any person owning a facility which generates, treats, stores or disposes of and any person having the care, custody or control of a hazardous waste or a substance which would be a hazardous waste except for the fact that it is not discarded, useless or unwanted, who causes or permits any disposal of such waste or substance in violation of law or otherwise than as reasonably intended for normal use or handling of such waste or substance, including but not limited to accidental spills thereof, shall be liable for the damages to person or property, public or private, caused by such disposition. (2) It shall be the obligation of such person to collect, remove or treat such waste or substance immediately, subject to such direction as the Department of Environmental Quality may give. (3) If such person fails to collect, remove or treat such waste or substance when under an obligation to do so as provided by subsection (2) of this section, the department is authorized to take such actions as are necessary to collect, remove or treat such waste or substance. (4) The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality shall keep a record of all necessary expenses incurred in carrying out any cleanup projects or activities authorized under subsection (3) of this section, including reasonable charges for services performed and equipment and materials utilized. (5) Any person who fails to collect, remove or treat such waste or substance immediately, when under an obligation to do so as provided in subsection (2) of this section, shall be responsible for the necessary expenses incurred by the state in carrying out a cleanup project or activity authorized under subsections (3) and (4) of this section. (6) If the amount of state-incurred expenses under subsections (3) and (4) of this section are not paid to the department within 15 days after receipt of notice that such expenses are due and owing, the Attorney General, at the request of the director, shall bring an action in the name of the State of Oregon in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover the amount specified in the final order of the director. (7) All expenditures covered by this section and all penalties and damages for which a person is liable to the state under this chapter and ORS chapter 465 shall constitute a lien upon any real and personal property owned by such person. (8) The department shall file a claim of lien on real property to be charged with a lien under subsection (7) of this section with the recording officer of each county in which the real property is located and shall file a claim of lien on personal property to be charged with a lien under subsection (7) of this section with the Secretary of State. The lien shall attach and become enforceable on the date of such filing. The lien claim shall contain: (a) A statement of the demand; (b) The name of the person against whose property the lien attaches; (c) A description of the property charged with the lien sufficient for identification; and (d) A statement of the failure of the person to perform the cleanup or disposal, compliance and corrective action and pay penalties and damages as required. (9) A lien created by this section may be foreclosed by a suit on real and personal property in the circuit court in the manner provided by law for the foreclosure of other liens. (10) Nothing in this section shall affect the right of the state to bring an action against any person to recover all costs and damages for which the person is liable under the provisions of this chapter. [Formerly 459.685; 1987 c.540 §15]