This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1979. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
The DNR Triangle Pit is a gravel pit in Rochester, Thurston County, owned and managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, that locals used as an informal shooting range for approximately 25 years prior to 2004. That use deposited lead and copper into the soil at levels the site assessment found to exceed MTCA cleanup guidelines, and the assessment also evaluated potential contaminant migration pathways. No remediation activities have yet been undertaken, and the site remains in awaiting-cleanup status. 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.
Shooting range use at this DNR property began around 1979 — roughly seven years before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies remained the standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Lead and copper accumulation in soil is precisely the kind of slow, ongoing release those policies were written to cover: contamination building incrementally over decades of repeated operations. With MTCA-exceedance confirmed and cleanup costs still ahead, any CGL policies covering operations at this property during the pre-1986 window may be a viable source of remediation funding.
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.
