This property has a documented history as a facility using PFAS-containing firefighting foam predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.

Why Historical Insurance Policies May Be Accessible

Pre-1986 Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies were occurrence-based and did not contain an effective pollution exclusion in Washington. If contamination occurred while those policies were active, those historical insurance carriers may still have a legal obligation to fund the cleanup costs, even if the business closed or the property changed hands.

The PFAS contamination at Spokane International originated not from a discrete accident but from repeated firefighting foam applications accumulated over time — the type of slow, operationally-sourced release that typically implicates carriers across the full span of active use. No documents currently in the record establish that foam training at this airport began before 1986, but the remedial investigation now underway may surface that documentation. If pre-1986 use is confirmed, historical CGL carriers whose policies covered Airport operations during that window could be obligated to fund the substantial multi-phase cleanup ahead: interim action, full remedial investigation, feasibility study, cleanup action plan, and long-term monitoring at a major regional airport.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful coverage claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage. Restorical then manages the claim, including accounting, to ensure the cleanup is funded in a timely manner.