2. The Legislature finds and declares that it is the public policy of this State to safely and expeditiously handle, treat, remove and dispose of hazardous substances released or spilled to the environment or at hazardous waste sites where no responsible party has been identified or has undertaken a cleanup; that the availability of an adequate supply of private contractors for performing the design, engineering and construction of cleanup or mitigation of sites contaminated by hazardous substances is essential for assuring both the expeditious cleanup of such sites and a competitive marketplace for contractor services; that hazardous substance response action contractors continue to experience considerable difficulties in obtaining environmental liability insurance at affordable prices; that even when environmental liability insurance coverage is available it is being written on a claims-made basis for limited durations; and that the interests of the State would be promoted by permitting the Department of Environmental Protection to offer indemnification to cleanup contractors where necessary to solicit qualified contractors.

L.1991,c.373,s.2; per s.22, section expired January 10, 1995.