68-212-209 - Liens on property. - Tennessee Statutes

68-212-209. Liens on property.

(a)  Whenever a hazardous substance site is placed on the list of hazardous substance sites pursuant to § 68-212-206(e), or whenever the commissioner otherwise begins to expend money for investigation, identification, containment or cleanup of a particular site under this part, the commissioner may file a notice with the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the property lies.

(b)  (1)  Whenever the commissioner expends money to investigate, identify, contain, monitor, maintain or clean up a hazardous substance site pursuant to this part, the commissioner may file a statement of the funds expended in the office of the register of deeds for the county(ies) in which the property lies, which statement shall perfect the lien on the property arising from the notice filed under subsection (a).

     (2)  The lien shall not exceed the lesser of:

          (A)  The actual amount expended at the site from the hazardous waste remedial action fund; or

          (B)  The apportioned share of all costs expended (as determined pursuant to § 68-212-207) of the owner of the property, after giving full credit for all expenditures by property owner(s).

     (3)  The lien shall be satisfied and discharged upon payment of the amount of such apportioned share.

(c)  If the property owner is aggrieved by the amount of the lien filed under subsection (a), the property owner may cause another appraisal to be performed by an independent appraiser and may submit the matter to the chancery court of the county in which the property is located to determine the appropriate amount of the lien. A decision of that court may be appealed according to the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure.

(d)  The lien provided in this section shall be entered in the records of the register of deeds of the county in which the property lies. Such statements shall constitute a lien upon such property as of the date notice is filed pursuant to subsection (a) and shall have priority from the date of such filing of such notice, but shall not affect, or have priority over, any valid lien, right, or interest in the property duly recorded, or duly perfected by filing, prior to the filing of such notice and shall not have priority over any real estate tax liens, whether attaching on the property before or after the filing of the notice. Such a lien shall be satisfied to the extent of the value of the consideration received at the time of transfer of ownership, and if the lien is not fully satisfied at the time of transfer, it shall remain a lien on the property until it is fully satisfied.

(e)  A form of notice substantially as follows is sufficient to comply with subsection (a):