This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1955. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property was developed in the 1950s and housed a City of Longview fire station from 1955 to 1965, before transitioning to its current role as the Parks Maintenance Department — a municipal facility used for fleet vehicle and equipment maintenance, landscaping staging, and related public works operations. Underground storage tanks holding diesel, gasoline, and waste oil served the facility until two were removed and over-excavated in 1992, with contaminated soil disposed of at that time. As of 2024–2025, soil and groundwater investigations funded through the LUST program remain active, and regulators have determined that further remedial action is necessary. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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 Washington. 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 underground storage tanks at this City of Longview facility were installed no later than 1967 based on their documented service life, and the property itself has been in continuous use since the mid-1950s — placing their operational history squarely within the era of occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies that carried no effective pollution exclusion. The contamination tied to those historical USTs has now generated remediation costs spanning more than three decades: the 1992 tank removals and soil excavation, and the LUST-funded investigations and additional remedial work currently underway. Historical carriers whose CGL policies were in force during the pre-1986 operational window may be obligated both to recover past costs and to fund the cleanup work that lies ahead.
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 & Forensic Accounting
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.