This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1895. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the ongoing and future cleanup under Oregon DEQ oversight.

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 mercury and arsenic contamination at this property traces entirely to mining operations that began in the late 1890s and continued under successive operators until final closure in the late 1960s, placing roughly seven decades of contaminating activity squarely before 1986. The investigation, remediation, and long-term monitoring work that lies ahead — spanning contaminated sediment, surface water pathways, and impacted drinking water wells — represents substantial ongoing and future costs that historical pre-1986 carriers may be obligated to fund going forward.

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.