{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-8-1445","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 8-1445","heading":"Defenses to liability.","body":"There shall be no liability under § 8-1442 for a person otherwise liable who can establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the costs resulting from their acts or omissions were caused solely by:\n\n(1)\nAn act of God;\n\n(2)\nAn act of War;\n\n(3)\nAn act or omission of a third party other than an employee or agent of the defendant, or other than one whose act or omission occurs in connection with a contractual relationship, existing directly or indirectly, with the defendant, if the defendant establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant:\n(A)\nExercised due care with respect to the hazardous substance concerned, taking into consideration the characteristics of such hazardous substance, in light of all relevant facts and circumstances; and\n(B)\nTook precautions against foreseeable acts or omissions of any such third party and the consequences that could foreseeably result from such acts or omissions; or\n\n(4)\nAny combination of the foregoing paragraphs.","path":["Title 8. Environmental and Animal Control and Protection.","Chapter 14. Hazardous Materials Transportation.","Subchapter III. Strict Liability for Release of Hazardous Materials During Transport."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/8-1445","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"dae03b2b6ee1bd964faabb79277a1a5b7179248a1663654f13e4885f2c43a0de","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-8-1444","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-8-1446"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}