This property has a documented history as a landfill going back to 1980. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.

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 leachate contamination documented at Ryegrass Landfill originated from unlined disposal practices that began in 1980, predating by six years the industry-wide shift to CGL policy forms carrying effective pollution exclusions. Kittitas County's remediation record — cover system construction, geomembrane installation, evaporation pond infrastructure, and ongoing post-closure monitoring — represents a documented cost trail tied directly to releases that occurred during the pre-1986 operational window. Historical carriers who issued occurrence-based CGL policies to the county during those early landfill years may remain obligated to fund a share of those remediation expenditures.

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.