This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1942. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
Fairchild Air Force Base was established in 1942 and has operated continuously as a military installation, with historical activities including aircraft repair, fuel storage, fire training, and operation of multiple landfills and disposal areas active from the late 1950s through the late 1970s. Contamination investigations were initiated in September 1984, and documented remediation spans groundwater extraction and treatment, soil vapor extraction, landfill capping, soil excavation, landfarming, bioventing, free-product recovery, in-situ chemical oxidation, and bioreactor demonstrations across multiple operable units. Recent efforts have added wellhead treatment systems and point-of-entry systems to address PFAS contamination. Active monitoring and operation-and-maintenance activities are ongoing, with some projects projected to continue through at least 2028. 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 contamination at Fairchild AFB originated from fuel storage, fire training, and waste disposal operations conducted for decades before 1986 — when occurrence-based CGL policies were the prevailing standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Decades of documented remediation expenditures across multiple operable units, including groundwater extraction, soil treatment, landfill capping, and PFAS response, represent costs that historical carriers may be obligated to recover. And because active O&M and monitoring work is projected to continue through at least 2028, those same pre-1986 policies may also be obligated to fund a share of the continuing expenditures still accumulating on this site.
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.
