RECOVERY AND SHARING OF COSTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SITES.

SEC. 348. RECOVERY AND SHARING OF COSTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SITES. (a) Regulations.—Not later than March 1, 1998, the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations containing the guidelines and requirements described in subsections (b) and (c). (b) Guidelines.—(1) The regulations prescribed under subsection (a) shall contain uniform guidelines for the military departments and defense agencies concerning the cost-recovery and costsharing activities of those departments and agencies. (2) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to ensure the implementation of the guidelines. (c) Requirements.—The regulations prescribed under subsection (a) shall contain requirements for the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of defense agencies to— (1) obtain all data that is relevant for purposes of costrecovery and cost-sharing activities; and (2) identify any negligence or other misconduct that may preclude indemnification or reimbursement by the Department of Defense for the costs of environmental restoration at a Department site or justify the recovery or sharing of costs associated with such restoration. (d) Definition.—In this section, the term “cost-recovery and cost-sharing activities” means activities concerning—111 STAT. 1690 (1) the recovery of the costs of environmental restoration at Department of Defense sites from contractors of the Department and other private parties that contribute to environmental contamination at such sites; and (2) the sharing of the costs of such restoration with such contractors and parties.