This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1927. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the multi-phase investigation and remediation work ahead under Wisconsin DNR oversight.
This property has been in industrial use since at least 1927, beginning with tire manufacturing operations that included coal storage, a blacksmith shop, and a dedicated railroad spur. Dairy processing operations commenced in 1950 and continued through 2012, during which time two 5,000-gallon fuel oil underground storage tanks were installed in 1974 and removed in 1992 with suspected contamination. A 2026 Phase II Environmental Site Assessment confirmed PCBs and mercury in soil exceeding groundwater pathway residual contaminant levels at multiple sampling locations, and arsenic in groundwater exceeded Wisconsin NR 140 preventive action limits at five temporary monitoring wells. The site is an active Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program case with further investigation and remediation ahead. That history could support an insurance coverage claim against the carriers who issued policies more than 40 years ago — coverage that could help fund the cleanup ahead.
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 Wisconsin — and those policies may provide coverage that remains enforceable today. 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.
Industrial and manufacturing operations at this property began in 1927 and continued for nearly six decades before 1986, spanning tire manufacturing, rail-served facilities, and dairy processing with associated fuel oil storage. The groundwater investigation, soil remediation for PCBs and mercury, and ongoing monitoring and compliance work required under Wisconsin DNR oversight represent future costs that those pre-1986 carriers may be obligated 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.
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
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.