(JUNEAU) - Last week, Representative Jay Ramras (R-Fairbanks) introduced House Bill 269. This legislation will ensure that property owners can undertake the expense of cleaning up their environmentally contaminated properties and continue to share the costs with other responsible parties.

A current United States Supreme Court case recently made it unclear as to when or even if a private party who pays for the environmental cleanup can take action against another person who contaminated the property.

House Bill 269 will ensure that a party that bears the expense of cleaning up a contaminated site will be able to pursue an action against other responsible parties. Voluntary cleanups allow the state to focus their limited resources on monitoring cleanup actions instead of undertaking costly administrative or judicial enforcements of cleanups, or having to undertake cleanups at the state's expense.

"If the State of Alaska wants to continue to ensure that private citizens voluntarily undertake environmental cleanups of their contaminated properties, this legislation is key," said Representative Ramras.

House Bill 269 will be referred to the Resource Committee and then to the Judicial Committee.

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