This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1982. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
Fairchild Semiconductor constructed this facility in 1982 as a semiconductor manufacturing plant, where chlorinated solvents were used and stored in the course of production operations. Chlorinated volatile organic compound (cVOC) sampling at the site dates to 1983, with trichloroethylene (TCE) detected by 1986; a diesel release also occurred in 1986. The property is now known as the South Hill Business Technology Center, is enrolled in Washington's Voluntary Cleanup Program, and is awaiting active remediation. 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 cVOC and petroleum contamination documented at this site originated from semiconductor manufacturing operations that began in 1982 and produced confirmed releases within the pre-1986 window — the period during which occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law. CGL policies issued to the facility operators during that initial construction and production period may still be enforceable against those historical carriers. The investigation and cleanup costs the property owner now faces through the Voluntary Cleanup Program are precisely the type of expenditure those pre-1986 policies were written to cover.
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.
