42 USC 9619 - Response action contractors

U.S Code last checked for updates: Aug 17, 2025

§ 9619.

Response action contractors

(a)

Liability of response action contractors

(1)

Response action contractors

(2)

Negligence, etc.

(3)

Effect on warranties; employer liability

(4)

Governmental employees

(b)

Savings provisions

(1)

Liability of other persons

(2)

Burden of plaintiff

(c)

Indemnification

(1)

In general

(2)

Applicability

This subsection shall apply only with respect to a response action carried out under written agreement with—

(A)

the President;

(B)

any Federal agency;

(C)

a State or political subdivision which has entered into a contract or cooperative agreement in accordance with section 9604(d)(1) of this title; or

(D)

any potentially responsible party carrying out any agreement under section 9622 of this title (relating to settlements) or section 9606 of this title (relating to abatement).

(3)

Source of funding

(4)

Requirements

An indemnification agreement may be provided under this subsection only if the President 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 response action, and adequate insurance to cover such liability is not generally available at the time the response action contract is entered into.

(B)

The response action contractor has made diligent efforts to obtain insurance coverage from non-Federal sources to cover such liability.

(C)

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

(5)

Limitations

(A)

Liability covered

(B)

Deductibles and limits

(C)

Contracts with potentially responsible parties

(i)

Decision to indemnify

(ii)

Conditions

(D)

RCRA facilities

(E)

Persons retained or hired

(6)

Cost recovery

(7)

Regulations

(8)

Study

(d)

Exception

(e)

Definitions

For purposes of this section—

(1)

Response action contract

The term “response action contract” means any written contract or agreement entered into by a response action contractor (as defined in paragraph (2)(A) of this subsection) with—

(A)

the President;

(B)

any Federal agency;

(C)

a State or political subdivision which has entered into a contract or cooperative agreement in accordance with section 9604(d)(1) of this title; or

(D)

any potentially responsible party carrying out an agreement under section 9606 or 9622 of this title;

to provide any remedial action under this chapter at a facility listed on the National Priorities List, or any removal under this chapter, with respect to any release or threatened release of a hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant from the facility or to provide any evaluation, planning, engineering, surveying and mapping, design, construction, equipment, or any ancillary services thereto for such facility.

(2)

Response action contractor

The term “response action contractor” means—

(A)

any—

(i)

person who enters into a response action contract with respect to any release or threatened release of a hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant from a facility and is carrying out such contract; and 1

 So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

(ii)

person, public or nonprofit private entity, conducting a field demonstration pursuant to section 9660(b) of this title; and

(iii)

Recipients 2

 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.

of grants (including sub-grantees) under section 9660a 3

 See References in Text note below.

of this title for the training and education of workers who are or may be engaged in activities related to hazardous waste removal, containment, or emergency response under this chapter; and ¹

(B)

any person who is retained or hired by a person described in subparagraph (A) to provide any services relating to a response action; and

(C)

any surety who after October 16, 1990, provides a bid, performance or payment bond to a response action contractor, and begins activities to meet its obligations under such bond, but only in connection with such activities or obligations.

(3)

Insurance

(f)

Competition

(g)

Surety bonds

(1)

If under sections 3131 and 3133 of title 40, surety bonds are required for any direct Federal procurement of any response action contract and are not waived pursuant to section 3134 of title 40, they shall be issued in accordance with sections 3131 and 3133 of title 40.

(2)

If under applicable Federal law surety bonds are required for any direct Federal procurement of any response action contract, no right of action shall accrue on the performance bond issued on such response action contract to or for the use of any person other than the obligee named in the bond.

(3)

If under applicable Federal law surety bonds are required for any direct Federal procurement of any response action contract, unless otherwise provided for by the procuring agency in the bond, in the event of a default, the surety’s liability on a performance bond shall be only for the cost of completion of the contract work in accordance with the plans and specifications less the balance of funds remaining to be paid under the contract, up to the penal sum of the bond. The surety shall in no event be liable on bonds to indemnify or compensate the obligee for loss or liability arising from personal injury or property damage whether or not caused by a breach of the bonded contract.

(4)

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as preempting, limiting, superseding, affecting, applying to, or modifying any State laws, regulations, requirements, rules, practices or procedures. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as affecting, applying to, modifying, limiting, superseding, or preempting any rights, authorities, liabilities, demands, actions, causes of action, losses, judgments, claims, statutes of limitation, or obligations under Federal or State law, which do not arise on or under the bond.

(5)

This subsection shall not apply to bonds executed before October 17, 1990.

(Pub. L. 96–510, title I, § 119, as added Pub. L. 99–499, title I, § 119, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1662; amended Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(f) [title II, § 201], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–187, 1329–198; Pub. L. 101–584, § 1, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2872;

cite as: 42 USC 9619