In 2013 the Oregon Legislature passed SB 814, which amends the Oregon Environmental Cleanup Assistance Act, a unique law regulating environmental coverage disputes. Part of SB 814 required the State to set up a mediation program for such claims (and made a carrier's refusal to participate in mediation a prohibited claims practice). That mediation program is now "live." Here is the announcement from the State's ADR coordinator.
Mediation Case Manager
(MCM) has been selected to manage the Environmental Claims Mediation Program
established by SB 814 (2013.) Under the terms of their contract, MCM
begins offering environmental claims mediation services today, November 19,
2014. MCM has established a program website that includes an
initial list of qualified mediators and links to case initiation forms. That
website is: https://ecmp.mediationcasemanager.com/Site/index.html.
Additional program information, including the program
rules effective October 31, 2014 , are available on the Department of Justice
website at: http://www.doj.state.or.us/adr/pages/environmental_claims.aspx.
We were honored to participate in drafting the regulations that set up this program and in helping select the vendor to administer this program, and are very pleased to see it up and running!
