This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1910. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the cleanup that lies ahead.
Centennial Mills operated as a flour mill from 1910 to 2000, with five underground storage tanks installed between 1943 and 1953 for fleet fueling and heating oil, plus a 12,000-gallon heating oil tank dating to approximately 1950. Diesel, oil, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been confirmed in soil and groundwater, with monitoring wells along the Willamette riverbank detecting free product petroleum. Oregon DEQ issued a Record of Decision in December 2014 selecting a final remedy — removal of approximately 10,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, capping with hardscape and clean fill, and a deed restriction — but that remedy remains unimplemented. The site was sold in September 2024 to a private developer for redevelopment, which is expected to trigger implementation of the ROD remedy under the existing Voluntary Agreement with DEQ. 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 industrial flour milling operations dating to 1910 and underground storage tanks installed between 1943 and 1953, all in place and operating decades before 1986. The major remediation work ahead — removal of approximately 10,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, capping with hardscape and clean fill, deed restriction compliance, and continued groundwater monitoring as directed by Oregon DEQ's 2014 Record of Decision — represents substantial future costs 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
The Restorical Proven Process
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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.