What Does It Take for a Thorough Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)?

• Intimate knowledge of EPA regulations and ASTM guidelines.
• Expert consulting strengths focused on protecting your Bona Fide Purchaser rights.
• The “eye of a detective” based on an understanding of industrial processes.
• A solid chemical background in hazardous waste and material identification.
• Proven site remediation practices and negotiation ability.

These are all crucial skills when performing Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA).

CTI excels in them all.

We unite these skills to determine your risk of owning contaminated property.

Our staff has been fully trained and follows the most current American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) national standards and practices for performing phased ESAs.

Why are Accurate and Thorough ESAs Important to me as a Buyer?

We understand your need to be protected from Superfund liability and/or environmental business risk. As a result, we strive for the correct performance of the ASTM practices.

This minimizes the risk of:

• Exhaustive oversight by regulators, extensive clean-up tasks and reporting which impair your facility’s ability to operate.
• Heavy clean-up costs threatening your ability to remain open and repay property loans.
• A significant drop in resale value for your property and impaired ability to resell.
• Impact to company’s reputation from association with contaminated property.

Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment provides you with a Bona Fide Buyer’s defense against landowner’s Superfund liability and/or business risk caused by recognized environmental conditions, defined as the presence or likely presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products contaminating a property.

But, beware… not all Phase I ESAs are the same!

In order to provide our clients with the best possible Bona Fide Buyer’s defense, CTI follows ASTM Standard Practice E-1527 and ASTM E2600 to provide a detailed report consisting of:

• Executive Summary
• Introduction and Scope of Services
• Site Description and Vicinity Characteristics
• User Provided Information
• Records Search Information including U.S. EPA AAI/AUL
• Site Reconnaissance Information
• Interview Information Photographs and Maps
• Findings, Opinion, and Conclusion which emphasize ASTM VEC Standards
• Qualifications and Signatures of Environmental Professionals

Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)

Phase II Environmental Site Assessments evaluate any recognized environmental conditions (REC) and potential vapor encroachment conditions identified during the Phase I activities.

Phase II ESAs provide information regarding the type and extent of contamination caused by hazardous substances or petroleum products known or suspected to be at a site. With this additional knowledge, you can make more informed business decisions and forge stronger defenses to the Superfund liabilities or manage other related risks to your business.

Whereas a Phase I ESA is research oriented, the Phase II ESA is concerned with the physical probing of a given site.

Using varying work scopes and types of field equipment appropriate for the site and the client’s needs, soil and groundwater samples are retrieved and analyzed for chemicals of concern.

CTI follows ASTM Standard Practice E-1903 in addition to other Phase II ESA, ASTM-recommended standards.

After a careful lab analysis by a certified laboratory, a detailed and accurate report is compiled which addresses each of the recognized environmental conditions and potential vapor encroachment risks. The results may indicate that enough information has been gathered or that an expansion of the original scope of work is necessary in order for the owner’s liabilities or business risks to be fully understood.

Either way, the Phase II ESA better clarifies whether actual chemical evidence exists to suggest that contamination resides on the site versus conclusions based on historical records alone concerning prior activities on the site or relative to neighboring properties.

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CTI’s experienced scientists and engineers are prepared to provide solutions to your environmental, health, and safety needs. In order to detail your company’s requirements, please fill out the Contact Form.

You may direct questions to our Senior Project Manager Glenn Miller at 216.341.1800, ext. 14.