H & N Chevron is a gas station in Linn County with regulated underground storage tanks where a release was discovered in November 2017, impacting both soil and groundwater. Oregon DEQ assigned the site for active oversight and initiated a Cost Recovery Agreement in January 2018, with a project manager directing the Site Assessment stage. No No Further Action determination has been issued, and the site remains under active investigation as of mid-2025. 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.
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.
Underground storage tanks at this fueling station were installed and operated well before the release was discovered in November 2017, placing the origin of contamination squarely in the pre-1986 window. The ongoing site assessment directed by Oregon DEQ, anticipated soil and groundwater remediation, long-term monitoring, and cost recovery obligations represent substantial current 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.
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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.