This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1970. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This 49.5-acre parcel at the Port of Tacoma has operated as the Murray Pacific No. 2 Log Sort Yard since 1970, when Murray Pacific Corporation first leased the property for industrial log sorting and storage. Environmental sampling conducted as early as 1983–1984 detected elevated metals in soil and bark, and a 1991 Natural Resource Damages assessment confirmed that hazardous substances had been released into the environment. Cleanup has included capping a woodwaste, soil, and slag mixture with a surface water collection system, establishing monitoring wells, and a $302,000 NRD settlement directed toward habitat restoration in the Commencement Bay environment. The site is now in performance monitoring under a restrictive covenant limiting future use to industrial purposes. 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.
Log sort yard operations began here in 1970, and slag used as site ballast was placed between 1975 and 1980 — both predating 1986, the year after which occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies began incorporating effective pollution exclusions. Contamination was first detected in 1983–1984, placing the triggering release squarely within the pre-1986 policy window. The documented remediation costs at this site — cap construction, surface water infrastructure, long-term monitoring obligations, and the $302,000 NRD settlement for Commencement Bay — represent expenditures that historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the 1970–1986 operational window may be obligated to fund.
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.
