This property has a documented history as a landfill going back to 1950. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the cleanup that lies ahead.
This former landfill operated from the early 1950s through 1973, initially as an open-burn disposal site before transitioning to trench-fill operations around 1966–1967. Contaminants have been confirmed in the Willamette Silt formation groundwater beneath the property, and Marion County continues to conduct ongoing groundwater monitoring under Oregon's Voluntary Cleanup Program. In 2004, the site was incorporated into the Record of Decision for the nearby North Marion County Disposal Facility, and no No Further Action determination has been issued — the site remains in Oregon DEQ's system with a medium priority rating for further action. 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 contamination at this property originated from more than two decades of landfill operations — beginning as open-burn disposal in the early 1950s and continuing as trench-fill operations through 1973 — all well before 1986. The investigation, remediation, and ongoing groundwater monitoring costs this property still faces — with no NFA issued and further action rated medium priority by Oregon DEQ — are precisely the type of future obligations that historical pre-1986 carriers may be obligated to fund.
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
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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.