---
title: O.C.G.A. § 12-5-501. Liability for removal costs or damages; exceptions.
collection: code
id: 12-5-501
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 12-5-501 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-501
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-501.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-501/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t12-(v10)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=67595359_0#page=643
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-500.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-5-520.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES / WATER RESOURCES / COSTS OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 12-5-501. Liability for removal costs or damages; exceptions.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person is not liable for removal costs or damages which result from actions taken or omitted to be taken in the course of rendering care, assistance, or advice consistent with the National Contingency Plan or as otherwise directed by the federal on-scene coordinator or by any state official with responsibility for oil spill response.

(b) Subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply:

(1) To a responsible party;

(2) With respect to personal injury or wrongful death;

(3) If the person is grossly negligent or engages in willful misconduct; or

(4) To a response under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. Section 9601, et seq.).

(c) A responsible party shall be liable for any removal costs and damages that another person is relieved of under subsection (a) of this Code section.

(d) Nothing in this Code section shall affect the liability of a responsible party for oil spill response under any applicable state law.

## History

Code 1981, § 12-5-501, enacted by Ga. L. 1991, p. 1598, § 1.

## Law Reviews

For article on CERCLA liability for secured creditors, see 41 Emory L.J. 167 (1992).