46-722.

Contamination; Department of Environment and Energy; conduct study; when; report.

If, as a result of information provided pursuant to section 46-721 or studies conducted by or otherwise available to the Department of Environment and Energy and following preliminary investigation, the Director of Environment and Energy makes a preliminary determination (1) that there is reason to believe that contamination of ground water is occurring or likely to occur in an area of the state in the reasonably foreseeable future and (2) that the natural resources district or districts in which the area is located have not designated a management area or have not implemented adequate controls to prevent such contamination from occurring, the department shall, in cooperation with any appropriate state agency and district, conduct a study to determine the source or sources of the contamination and the area affected by such contamination and shall issue a written report within one year of the initiation of the study. During the study, the department shall consider the relevant water quality portions of the management plan developed by each district pursuant to sections 46-709 to 46-711, whether the district has designated a management area encompassing the area studied, and whether the district has adopted any controls for the area.