This property has a documented history as a facility using PFAS-containing firefighting foam going back to 1972. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
Little Mountain Fire Station No. 33 was developed between 1972 and 1981, with a water supply well installed on the property in 1975 and station renovations completed in 1983. Anecdotal reports indicate that aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) — a firefighting agent associated with PFAS — was historically stored and used at the station for Class B fire suppression needs on the island. PFAS contamination was detected in soil and groundwater in 2023, triggering an investigation under the Voluntary Cleanup Program; remediation to date has consisted of containerization and off-site disposal of investigation-derived waste, with formal cleanup work still ahead. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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 AFFF formulations linked to contamination at this site predate 2002, and the station's development and early operations fall squarely within the pre-1986 era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. PFAS releases tied to historical firefighting foam storage and use are precisely the type of slow, gradual contamination those policies were underwritten to cover. The investigation, waste disposal, and full remediation of PFAS-impacted soil and groundwater that lie ahead could plausibly be funded by carriers who issued CGL policies during the station's pre-1986 operational window.
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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
