California Code, Health and Safety Code - HSC § 25299.70

(a) The board may recover any costs incurred and payable from the fund pursuant to subdivisions (c), (e),(h), and (n) of Section 25299.51from the owner or operator of the underground storage tank which released the petroleum and which is the subject of those costs or from any other responsible party.

(b) The liability of an owner or operator shall be the full and total costs specified in subdivision (a) if the owner or operator has not complied with the requirements of Article 3 (commencing with Section 25299.30) or has violated Section 25296.10 or any corrective action order, directive, notification, or approval order issued pursuant to this chapter, Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280), or Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code. The liability of a responsible party who is not an owner or operator shall be the full and total costs specified in subdivision (a).

(c) The amount of costs determined pursuant to this section shall be recoverable in a civil action. This section does not deprive a party of any defense the party may have.

(d) All money recovered by the board pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the fund.

(e) The amount of the costs constitutes a lien on the affected property upon service of a copy of the notice of lien on the owner and upon the recordation of a notice of lien, if the notice identifies the property on which the condition was abated, the amount of the lien, and the owner of record of the property, in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is located. Upon recordation, the lien shall have the same force, effect, and priority as a judgment lien, except that it attaches only to the property posted and described in the notice of lien, and shall continue for 10 years from the time of the recording of the notice, unless sooner released or otherwise discharged. Not later than 45 days from the date of receipt of a notice of lien, the owner may petition the court for an order releasing the property from the lien or reducing the amount of the lien. In that court action, the governmental agency that incurred the cleanup costs shall establish that the costs were reasonable and necessary. The lien may be foreclosed by an action brought by the board for a money judgment.