Who is responsible for the cleanup of contaminated environments?
The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible to ensure that cleanup of a release of oil or a hazardous substance is done in a way that protects human health and the environment or that appropriate steps are taken to contain a threatened release. Generally, the owner and/or operator of a vessel or facility from which a release or threatened release of oil or a hazardous substance occurs or the owner of property contaminated by oil or any hazardous substance are responsible for cost incurred by the state for oversight, assessment, cleanup, containment and other related response activities.
