Phase I Environmental Site Assessments are a common requirement today for most real estate transactions. Typically, the purchaser or the bank that is financing the purchase will require a Phase 1 assessment of the property to qualify for the CERCLA “Innocent Land Owner Defense”, which is designed to allow the owner of contaminated property to defend against liability for hazardous substances that were put on the property by an unrelated third party.
During the Phase 1 site assessment, the property is site inspected by our Certified Inspector, and a thorough mile radius survey is compiled from state and federal historical data of properties with underground storage tanks/wells, or hazardous chemicals. The report delivery is within 7-15 business days.
The actual sampling of soil, air, groundwater and/or building materials is typically not conducted during a Phase I ESA. The Phase I ESA is generally considered the first step in the process of environmental due diligence.
If a site is considered contaminated, a Phase II environmental site assessment is recommended.
Standard Scope: