This property has a documented history as a facility associated with PFAS-containing materials predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could help fund the multi-phase investigation and remediation work ahead under Wisconsin DNR oversight.
This property is part of a military installation in Juneau County that has been operational since World War II, with documented use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) containing PFAS compounds dating to at least 1978. Groundwater investigation across eight direct-push technology borings has confirmed Wisconsin DNR screening level exceedances for PFOS, PFOA, and PFBS at multiple sampling locations and depth intervals, with PFOS concentrations reaching as high as 56,000 ng/L against a screening level of 40 ng/L. The site is an active Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program case, with surface drainage pathways discharging to the Lemonweir River and a confirmed liner leak at a wastewater treatment lagoon adding to the scope of investigation and remediation work 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.
Firefighting foam operations at this installation began well before 1986, with AFFF deployment documented as early as 1978 and historical fire training activities conducted over decades at this military property in Juneau County. The extensive groundwater investigation still underway — including plume delineation across multiple contamination areas, remediation of PFAS impacts to soil, groundwater, and surface water draining to the Lemonweir River, and long-term compliance monitoring under the Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program — represents substantial future obligations that historical 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
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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.