California Code, Health and Safety Code - HSC § 25548

(1) There is uncertainty in the law of this state with regard to the liability of lenders for hazardous material contamination involving property that is owned or used by borrowers, whether or not the property is collateral for the loan or obligation.

(2) There is also uncertainty in the law of this state with regard to the liability of trustees, executors, and other fiduciaries for hazardous material contamination involving property that is part of the fiduciary estate. Fiduciaries understand that the fiduciary estate may have that liability, but are concerned that a fiduciary may have independent personal liability, despite the absence of personal culpability for the contamination.

(3) The uncertainty as to liability or potential liability is attributable to the failure of existing law, except for the security interest exemption incorporated by reference in Section 78145, to recognize that usually the credit or fiduciary relationship is not sufficiently related to the hazardous material contamination to warrant, as a policy matter, the imposition of liability on lenders and fiduciaries.