In March 2026, Nina bought an abandoned metal-plating facility. Six months later, EPA identified hazardous substance contamination from disposal practices that occurred decades before Nina owned the site. Which statement is most accurate under CERCLA?
Correct Answer
A) Nina may still be liable as a current owner even if the contamination predates her ownership
CERCLA can impose liability on a current owner of a contaminated facility even when the disposal happened before that owner acquired title. Ownership status matters, which is why environmental due diligence and any available defenses are so important before purchase.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
Key Terms:
Related Concepts
Setback requirements are zoning regulations that specify the minimum distance a building or structure must be set back from property lines, streets, or other boundaries. They ensure adequate light, air, and space between structures.
Spot zoning is an illegal or improper rezoning of a small parcel of land that is inconsistent with the surrounding zoning and the comprehensive plan. It benefits an individual owner rather than the community as a whole.
Subdivision regulations are local government rules that control the division of land into smaller parcels for development or sale. They ensure proper infrastructure, lot sizes, and public improvements are provided.
More Land Use Controls Regulations Questions
The 'innocent landowner' defense under CERCLA requires:
A buyer purchases a home in a subdivision whose CC&Rs, recorded in 1975, limit each lot to single-family residential use. The buyer begins operating an auto body repair business out of the garage, with customer vehicles parked on the lot and a spray booth in the driveway. The CC&Rs say nothing about home-based businesses. Can the HOA stop the business?
Permission to depart from a requirement of the zoning ordinance for a single parcel is obtained through a:
Zoning ordinance compliance is monitored through:
The main difference between private and public land controls is:
- → A government plan guiding long-term physical development is:
- → A developer plans to build a new condominium complex. The developer must create and record certain governing documents before selling any units. What document is the foundation of the condominium's governance structure?
- → A homeowner in an HOA community wants to install solar panels on her roof. The CC&Rs do not address solar panels. The HOA's architectural review board denies the request, citing aesthetic concerns. In many jurisdictions, how do solar access laws affect this dispute?
- → In a planned community, what is the primary role of the homeowners' association (HOA)?
- → What does the term 'covenants, conditions, and restrictions' (CC&Rs) refer to in real estate?
- → When a zoning ordinance and a deed restriction both apply to the same property but impose different standards, which standard controls?
- → What does it mean when a deed restriction is said to 'run with the land'?
- → A real estate agent is explaining deed restrictions to a buyer. All of the following are common types of deed restrictions found in residential subdivisions EXCEPT.
- → A developer creates a 200-lot subdivision and records a declaration of CC&Rs before selling any lots. The CC&Rs include architectural review requirements, landscaping standards, and HOA membership obligations. When a buyer purchases Lot 45, how is the buyer bound by the CC&Rs?
- → A buyer's agent is reviewing the CC&Rs for a subdivision. All of the following provisions are typically found in CC&Rs EXCEPT.
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Previous Question
Which statement best describes liability under CERCLA, commonly called Superfund?
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In June 2026, Aria considered buying a former dry-cleaning property after a consultant found known solvent contamination. She still wanted to buy the parcel for redevelopment and asked whether any CERCLA protection could still be available. Which answer is best?