This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1920. 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 — diesel-range petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs in groundwater, plus a stormwater pathway discharging to the Willamette River — traces to decades of heavy industrial use that began with a steelworks foundry in the 1920s and continued through multiple industrial operators and underground storage tank installations, all well before 1986. The ongoing stormwater source control evaluation under the Portland Harbor Joint Source Control Strategy, continued investigation through Oregon DEQ's Voluntary Cleanup Program, and any remediation ultimately required to address the groundwater and stormwater impacts represent future cost 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.