Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

Property buyers and owners, as well as banks and developers, realize the potential for environmental liabilities associated with commercial property uses. A Phase I ESA is an investigation of current, environmental, and historical land use, ownership, and tenancy of a property. General activities include an extensive review of regulatory, ownership, and building records, existing environmental information, surrounding land use, historical property use and geological surveys. Finally, a comprehensive visual inspection of any buildings on the property will be completed, as well as interviews with present, and previous owners, site managers, occupants and municipal officials as applicable.   

The collected information is evaluated and compiled into a detailed report. A Phase I ESA does not include sampling or laboratory analysis activities. These activities are conducted as needed during the Phase II ESA.  

A Phase I ESA is usually performed by a party considering a purchase of real estate since the best time to determine if an environmental issue is present is before you buy. A property owner may also wish to conduct a Phase I ESA of their land to begin resolving environmental issues at their own pace and avoiding future surprises. 
 

Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

When a Phase I ESA identifies a recognized environmental condition, most clients request to evaluate the potential impact by performing a Phase II ESA. The purpose of a Phase II investigation is to determine the presence or absence of, identified recognized environmental conditions. 

The scope of work focuses on the areas on-site most likely to exhibit detectable contaminants and suspected releases. Additional inspections may include surveys for asbestos, lead paint or a wetlands assessment based on knowledge of property use and history. 

Soil Solutions can provide a comprehensive range of field services including soil, soil gas, and groundwater sampling.  Geophysical surveys may be employed to identify potential underground storage tanks, drywells, drain lines, or buried debris. 

If no significant contamination is detected in Phase II, often no further work is required. If contamination is found at levels of concern, further site characterization to delineate the extent of the impacts and assess the level of risk may be completed to determine if additional cleanup is necessary.  

Do you have questions about an ongoing project?   
Contact us today to speak to one of our project managers and learn more about the quality, professional environmental investigation services offered by Soil Solutions.