This property has a documented history as a facility using PFAS-containing firefighting foam 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.

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 PFAS contamination at this site stems from AFFF used in fire training operations that the base conducted for decades before 1986 — a period when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies had no effective pollution exclusion and remain enforceable today. The remediation expenditures already incurred here are substantial: decades of soil and sediment excavation, landfill capping, and the installation and operation of multiple groundwater treatment systems represent documented past costs that historical carriers may be obligated to recover. The site's active O&M phase — with continuing monitoring, institutional controls, and an AFFF-specific operable unit still in progress — also represents ongoing obligations those same carriers may be required 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.