ORS 465.340
Contractor liability

  • indemnification

(1)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

A person who is a contractor with respect to any release of a hazardous substance from a facility shall not be liable under ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions) or under any other state law to any person for injuries, costs, damages, expenses or other liability including but not limited to claims for indemnification or contribution and claims by third parties for death, personal injury, illness or loss of or damage to property or economic loss that result from such release.

(b)

Paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not apply if the release is caused by conduct of the contractor that is negligent, reckless, willful or wanton misconduct or that constitutes intentional misconduct.

(c)

Nothing in this subsection shall affect the liability of any other person under any warranty under federal, state or common law. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the liability of an employer who is a contractor to any employee of such employer under any provision of law, including any provision of any law relating to workers’ compensation.

(d)

A state employee or an employee of a political subdivision who provides services relating to a removal or remedial action while acting within the scope of the person’s authority as a governmental employee shall have the same exemption from liability subject to the other provisions of this section, as is provided to the contractor under this section.

(2)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

The exclusion provided by ORS 465.255 (Strict liability for remedial action costs for injury or destruction of natural resource) (2)(b)(C) shall not be available to any potentially responsible party with respect to any costs or damages caused by any act or omission of a contractor.

(b)

Except as provided in subsection (1)(d) of this section and paragraph (a) of this subsection, nothing in this section shall affect the liability under ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions) or under any other federal or state law of any person, other than a contractor.

(c)

Nothing in this section shall affect the plaintiff’s burden of establishing liability under ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions).

(3)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality may agree to hold harmless and indemnify any contractor meeting the requirements of this subsection against any liability, including the expenses of litigation or settlement, for negligence arising out of the contractor’s performance in carrying out removal or remedial action activities under ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions), unless such liability was caused by conduct of the contractor which was grossly negligent, reckless, willful or wanton misconduct, or which constituted intentional misconduct.

(b)

This subsection shall apply only to a removal or remedial action carried out under written agreement with:

(A)

The director;

(B)

Any state agency; or

(C)

Any potentially responsible party carrying out any agreement under ORS 465.260 (Removal or remedial action) or 465.325 (Agreement to perform removal or remedial action).

(c)

For purposes of ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions), amounts expended from the fund for indemnification of any contractor shall be considered remedial action costs.

(d)

An indemnification agreement may be provided under this subsection only if the director determines that each of the following requirements are met:

(A)

The liability covered by the indemnification agreement exceeds or is not covered by insurance available, at a fair and reasonable price, to the contractor at the time the contractor enters into the contract to provide removal or remedial action, and adequate insurance to cover such liability is not generally available at the time the contract is entered into.

(B)

The contractor has made diligent efforts to obtain insurance coverage.

(C)

In the case of a contract covering more than one facility, the contractor agrees to continue to make diligent efforts to obtain insurance coverage each time the contractor begins work under the contract at a new facility.

(4)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Indemnification under this subsection shall apply only to a contractor liability which results from a release of any hazardous substance if the release arises out of removal or remedial action activities.

(b)

An indemnification agreement under this subsection shall include deductibles and shall place limits on the amount of indemnification to be made available.

(c)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(A)

In deciding whether to enter into an indemnification agreement with a contractor carrying out a written contract or agreement with any potentially responsible party, the director shall determine an amount which the potentially responsible party is able to indemnify the contractor. The director may enter into an indemnification agreement only if the director determines that the amount of indemnification available from the potentially responsible party is inadequate to cover any reasonable potential liability of the contractor arising out of the contractor’s negligence in performing the contract or agreement with the party. In making the determinations required under this subparagraph related to the amount and the adequacy of the amount, the director shall take into account the total net assets and resources of the potentially responsible party with respect to the facility at the time the director makes the determinations.

(B)

The director may pay a claim under an indemnification agreement referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph for the amount determined under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph only if the contractor has exhausted all administrative, judicial and common law claims for indemnification against all potentially responsible parties participating in the cleanup of the facility with respect to the liability of the contractor arising out of the contractor’s negligence in performing the contract or agreement with the parties. The indemnification agreement shall require the contractor to pay any deductible established under paragraph (b) of this subsection before the contractor may recover any amount from the potentially responsible party or under the indemnification agreement.

(d)

No owner or operator of a facility regulated under the federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, P.L. 96-482 and P.L. 98-616, may be indemnified under this subsection with respect to such facility.

(e)

For the purposes of ORS 465.255 (Strict liability for remedial action costs for injury or destruction of natural resource), any amounts expended under this section for indemnification of any person who is a contractor with respect to any release shall be considered a remedial action cost incurred by the state with respect to the release.

(5)

The exemption provided under subsection (1) of this section and the authority of the director to offer indemnification under subsection (3) of this section shall not apply to any person liable under ORS 465.255 (Strict liability for remedial action costs for injury or destruction of natural resource) with respect to the release or threatened release concerned if the person would be covered by the provisions even if the person had not carried out any actions referred to in subsection (6) of this section.

(6)

As used in this section:

(a)

“Contract” means any written contract or agreement to provide any removal or remedial action under ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions) at a facility, or any removal under ORS 465.200 (Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545) to 465.545 (Suspension of dry cleaning fees) and 465.900 (Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions), with respect to any release of a hazardous substance from the facility or to provide any evaluation, planning, engineering, surveying and mapping, design, construction, equipment or any ancillary services thereto for such facility, that is entered into by a contractor as defined in paragraph (b)(A) of this subsection with:

(A)

The director;

(B)

Any state agency; or

(C)

Any potentially responsible party carrying out an agreement under ORS 465.260 (Removal or remedial action) or 465.325 (Agreement to perform removal or remedial action).

(b)

“Contractor” means:

(A)

Any person who enters into a removal or remedial action contract with respect to any release of a hazardous substance from a facility and is carrying out such contract; and

(B)

Any person who is retained or hired by a person described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph to provide any services relating to a removal or remedial action.

(c)

“Insurance” means liability insurance that is fair and reasonably priced, as determined by the director, and that is made available at the time the contractor enters into the removal or remedial action contract to provide removal or remedial action. [Formerly 466.585; 1991 c.692 §2]

Source: Section 465.340 — Contractor liability; indemnification, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors465.­html.

465.003
Definitions for ORS 465.003 to 465.034
465.006
Policy
465.009
Rules
465.012
Technical assistance to users and generators
465.015
Toxics use and hazardous waste reduction plan required
465.018
Notification of Department of Environmental Quality upon completion of plan or system
465.021
Review of plan or system
465.027
Contract for assistance with higher education institution
465.032
Form of implementation summary
465.034
Application of ORS 465.003 to 465.034
465.037
Short title
465.101
Definitions for ORS 465.101 to 465.131
465.104
Fees for petroleum product delivery or withdrawals
465.106
Amount of fee to be set by State Fire Marshal
465.111
Department of Revenue to collect fee
465.112
Amounts held in trust
465.114
Extension of time for paying fee
465.117
Records of petroleum products transactions
465.121
Rules
465.124
Application of ORS chapters 305 and 314 to fee collection
465.127
Disposition of fees
465.131
Fee imposed by ORS 465.104 in addition to fees established by local government
465.200
Definitions for ORS 465.200 to 465.545
465.205
Legislative findings
465.210
Authority of department for removal or remedial action
465.215
List of facilities with confirmed release
465.220
Comprehensive statewide identification program
465.225
Inventory of facilities needing environmental controls
465.230
Removal of facilities from inventory
465.235
Public inspection of inventory
465.240
Inventory listing not prerequisite to other remedial action
465.245
Preliminary assessment of potential facility
465.250
Accessibility of information about hazardous substances
465.255
Strict liability for remedial action costs for injury or destruction of natural resource
465.257
Right of contribution from other person liable for remedial action costs
465.260
Removal or remedial action
465.265
“Person” defined for ORS 465.265 to 465.310
465.270
Legislative findings and intent
465.275
Remedial action and financial assistance program
465.280
Rules
465.285
Requirements for financial assistance
465.290
Financial assistance agreement not General Fund obligation
465.295
Decision regarding financial assistance not subject to judicial review
465.300
Records and financial assistance applications exempt from disclosure as public record
465.305
Application fees
465.310
Accounting procedure for financial assistance moneys
465.315
Standards for degree of cleanup required
465.320
Notice of proposed remedial action or release from liability
465.325
Agreement to perform removal or remedial action
465.327
Agreement to release party from potential liability to facilitate cleanup and reuse of property
465.330
State remedial action costs
465.333
Recovery of costs of program development, rulemaking and administrative actions as remedial action costs
465.335
Costs, penalties and damages as lien
465.340
Contractor liability
465.375
Monthly fee of operators
465.376
Special hazardous waste management fees
465.378
Department to work with other states to avoid disruption of waste flows
465.381
Hazardous Substance Remedial Action Fund
465.386
Commission authorized to increase fees
465.391
Effect of certain laws on liability of person
465.400
Rules
465.405
Rules
465.410
Ranking of inventory according to risk
465.420
Remedial Action Advisory Committee
465.425
“Security interest holder” defined for ORS 465.430 to 465.455
465.430
Legislative findings
465.435
Rules relating to exemption from liability for security interest holder
465.440
Rules relating to exemption from liability for fiduciary
465.445
Advisory committee
465.450
Limitation on commission’s discretion to adopt rules
465.455
Construction of ORS 465.425 to 465.455
465.475
Definitions for ORS 465.475 to 465.484
465.478
Legislative findings
465.479
Lost policies
465.480
Insurance for environmental claims
465.481
General liability insurance policies
465.483
General liability insurance policies
465.484
Unfair environmental claims settlement practices
465.485
Short title
465.500
Purpose
465.503
Exemption from administrative or judicial action to compel removal or remedial action
465.505
Waste minimization requirements for dry cleaning facilities
465.507
Dry cleaning advisory group
465.510
Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Account
465.517
Annual fee and gross revenue fee for dry cleaning facilities
465.520
Fee on sale or transfer of dry cleaning solvent
465.523
Fee on use of dry cleaning solvent
465.525
Calculation of fee for partial gallons
465.527
Reporting of fees
465.531
Department of Environmental Quality may contract for collection of fees
465.536
Late charges
465.545
Suspension of dry cleaning fees
465.550
Definitions for ORS 465.550 and 465.555
465.555
County assessment of effects of major recovery or remedial action at storage or disposal site for chemical agents
465.600
Definitions for ORS 465.600 to 465.621
465.603
Procedure to create public authority
465.606
Board of directors
465.609
General powers
465.612
Obligations of authority not obligations of local government
465.615
Exemption from taxation
465.618
Remedial action costs
465.621
Dissolution
465.900
Civil penalties for violation of removal or remedial actions
465.992
Civil penalty for failure to pay fees
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