2018 Alaska Statutes
Title 46. Water, Air, Energy, and Environmental Conservation
Chapter 08. Oil and Hazardous Substance Releases
Article 1. Release Prevention and Response Fund; Reimbursement; Liens.
Sec. 46.08.075. Liens against property as security for state expenditures.
(a) The state has a lien for expenditures by the state from the fund, or from any other state fund, for the costs of response, containment, removal, or remedial action resulting from an oil or hazardous substance release, or, with respect to response costs, for the costs of response to a threatened release of oil or a hazardous substance, against all property owned by a person who is determined by the commissioner to be liable for the expenditures under this chapter, AS 46.03, AS 46.04, 42 U.S.C. 9607, or other state or federal law. The lien includes interest, at the maximum rate allowable under AS 45.45.010(a), from the date of the expenditures. The state may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction in order to foreclose on the lien.
(b) A lien established under this section against real property is not effective until
(1) a certificate of lien is recorded in the district recorder's office for the district in which the property is located, describing the property and stating the amount of the lien, the name of the owner as grantor, and, if known, the name of the person causing the oil or hazardous substance release; and
(2) the commissioner sends a copy of the certificate of lien by certified mail return receipt requested, or actually delivers a copy of the certificate of lien, to the persons described in (1) of this subsection and to all other persons of record holding an interest in the property.
(c) When any amount with respect to which a lien has been recorded under this section has been paid or reduced, the commissioner shall, upon request of the property owner, issue a certificate discharging or partially releasing the lien. That certificate may be recorded in the office in which the certificate of lien was recorded.
(d) The commissioner may, in the commissioner's discretion, reduce, discharge or partially release a lien under this section if a bond, or other security, in a form and an amount satisfactory to the commissioner is posted. The bond or other security must include an amount sufficient to cover the cost of execution, collection, or foreclosure, including attorney fees. A reduction, discharge, or partial release may not be granted under this subsection if it would be contrary to the public interest. When a lien is reduced, discharged, or partially released under this subsection, the commissioner shall, at the request of the property owner, issue a certificate to that effect.
(e) A person with an ownership interest in property against which a lien is recorded may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to require that the lien be released. The lien may be released to the extent of that person's ownership interest if the court finds that the person is not liable for the expenses incurred by the state in connection with the costs of response, containment, removal, or remedial action resulting from the release or from the threatened release, of oil or a hazardous substance.
