This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the cleanup that lies ahead.
This property served as an Oregon Army National Guard armory in Benton County, where a corroded underground storage tank was discovered to have released contamination during decommissioning in March 2025. The release has impacted soil, groundwater, indoor air, and soil gas at the site. Oregon DEQ has cataloged the release but the project remains unassigned, no enforcement actions are in place, and no cleanup work has begun. That history could support an insurance coverage claim against the carriers who issued policies more than 40 years ago — coverage that could help fund the cleanup ahead.
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 Oregon — and those policies may provide coverage that remains enforceable today. 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 failed underground storage tank's advanced corrosion points to infrastructure that was in service well before 1986, with contamination from those earlier operations now confirmed in soil, groundwater, indoor air, and soil gas at this property in Oregon. With the project still unassigned by Oregon DEQ and no cleanup work yet undertaken, the future investigation, remediation, and monitoring costs this property still faces could be substantial, and pre-1986 CGL carriers whose policies were in effect during the period of tank operations may be obligated to fund them.
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
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.