This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1948. 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 contamination at this property originates from wood treating operations that began in 1948 and continued through the mid-1980s, with pentachlorophenol applied in spray and dip tanks for nearly four decades before 1986. The ongoing remedial action under the Consent Decree, including groundwater treatment projected to continue until approximately 2040, municipal wellfield monitoring, and sediment management in adjacent ditch systems, represents decades of future cleanup costs that historical pre-1986 carriers whose policies were in effect during those operational years 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.