This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1846. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Ediz Hook, established in 1846 in Port Angeles, has operated as an active federal facility for over a century and a half — and continues to do so today. Petroleum contamination was identified in 1996 beneath the station's avionics hangar, traced to a leaking, unregistered underground storage tank that had stored fuel oil and aviation gasoline. Remediation to date has included removal of at least three USTs totaling 20,500 gallons of capacity, soil excavation, and in-situ chemical treatment with 1,120 pounds of Oxygen Releasing Compound, with groundwater monitoring ongoing since at least 2005. Future remedial work for the affected area is projected to include demolition, excavation of approximately 1,100 cubic yards (1,900 tons) of contaminated soil, groundwater dewatering, and long-term institutional controls, with total estimated project costs up to $1,838,892. 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 contamination at this site originated from an unregistered underground storage tank that was installed and in operation well before the 1986 federal UST regulations — a period when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still written without effective pollution exclusions. A 1998 Ecology letter confirms this contamination was already recorded as historical, not a recent incident. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to operators at this facility during that pre-1986 window may be obligated both to recover the remediation expenditures already incurred and to fund the substantial excavation, dewatering, and institutional controls that remain ahead.
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
Ready to learn more?
Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
