Do You Really Need Phase I Environmental Site Assessments?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about Phase I environmental site assessments and when it would be apropos to have one done. This article should help to fill in many of the gaps. Read it and you will have more insight as to whether or not you really need a Phase iI assessment.

A Phase 1 is simply a visit to a site followed by a documented review of the area surrounding that particular site. It is used to determine whether, from an environmental standpoint, further investigation would be advised.

A Phase 1 inspection entails reviewing the local, state and federal government documentation pertaining to the site. It looks at how the site was used in the past and extensively documents the history of the surrounding area. Data bases pertaining to information about the surrounding area are gathered and reviewed in order to determine if there are any potential environmental risks that could emanate from the surrounding area.

Because Phase I environmental site assessments are so detailed and require must professional judgment, it needs to be done by a qualified environmental professional, as defined by EPA's All Appropriate Inquiries rule.

One examples of potential risks that could be found is if there was a dry cleaning establishment on the site, which commonly spill toxic chemicals into the ground. Or perhaps there was a gasoline station near or on the site that could have contaminated the ground water with petroleum.

You would be advised to have a phase Ii in order to know if there was an auto repair shop that didn't properly handle the asbestos in the brake systems they repaired. Or they may have improperly handled the oil from oil changes, or the lead in the paints they used when they did bodywork.

Phase I inspections focus on the environment rather than any systems or structures that are or were integral to the building(s) on or near the site. The said systems would be part of a general visual inspection.

You may need a Phase I environment site assessment if you want to borrow money for construction or other purposes on the site because most lending institutions now require a Phase I as part of the loan approval process.

Therefore, Phase 1 inspections have become integral parts of many industrial and/or commercial real estate transactions.

Once the Phase I inspection is complete it may be necessary to have a Phase II and perhaps a Phase III inspection as well. Phase IIs incorporates sampling the soil and testing it. It is used to determine whether further investigation is warranted and/or if it needs to be remediated.

If remediation is required then a Phase III inspection may be appropriate.