This former service station property in Washington County has confirmed petroleum contamination in soil and groundwater from leaking underground storage tanks, with the release reported to Oregon DEQ in February 2022. An initial investigation was completed, but the site requires additional screening for vapor intrusion and a groundwater risk assessment. Oregon DEQ issued a Conditional No Further Action determination with outstanding conditions, and a Cost Recovery Agreement has been in place since February 2022 — the site remains under active DEQ oversight with recent engagement as of June 2026. 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.
The contamination at this former service station traces to underground storage tank operations characteristic of facilities that operated well before 1986. The vapor intrusion screening, groundwater risk assessment, and any further remediation directed by Oregon DEQ represent ongoing and future cost obligations that pre-1986 carriers may be obligated to fund under Oregon law.
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.