Advanced Environmental Interface

The purpose of an environmental site assessment is to determine the likelihood of a release of contamination from a facility onto a property or into the environment (the air, surface water, soils, or groundwater) in and around the property. This is accomplished by:

A series of inquiries into available records and databases at town and state (and in some cases federal) agencies;
Interviews of present/past owners/operators;
Examination of historical maps, drawings and aerial photos; and
A walkover inspection of the facility to identify areas of environmental concern.

This is typically called a Phase I environmental site assessment. There are several different guidelines for performing such assessments, but they all go something like this:

Step 1. Conduct a drive-by inspection of the area, and check town records:

Library

City Directories
Fire Insurance Maps
Old Aerial Photos / Maps

Town Hall

Building Department
Sanitarian / Sewer Maps
Town Engineer / Planner
Property Maps
Tax Assessor's Cards
Town Clerk
Fire Marshal

Windshield Survey
Walkaround Fenceline Tour

Step 2. Review the information from Step 1. This usually raises questions such as:

What was it before?
What are the potential historical releases?
Were there any documented problems locally or at state level?

Step 3. Check state records:

Aerial photos showing sequential historical condition of property at 5-year intervals.
DEP records showing environmental problems and/or compliance status.

File Room searches.
Air Bureau records.
Water Bureau records.
Waste Bureau records.
PCB Program records.
UST and Leaking UST lists.
State hazardous waste site lists.
RCRA records files.
EPA databases (CERCLIS, NPL, FINDS, ERNS)

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Step 4. Conduct a walkover inspection of the property and the buildings:

What type of industry?
What kind of process equipment?
What type of hazardous materials used?
What type of environmental controls?
Features inside the building with potential for release?
Features outside the building with potential for release?
Type / volume of wastes generated?
Potential contaminants / release routes?
Areas of environmental concern?

The outcome of the site assessment is detailed in a written report that:

Provides the results of the records and database reviews;
Describes the observed present environmental condition of the property;
Indicates possible areas of releases and pathways to the environment;
Includes copies of maps, drawings and other available documentation;
Evaluates the possibility of contamination on the property; and
Recommends a Phase II Site Investigation (also called a Phase II environmental site assessment) if necessary to confirm or deny a possible release of a contaminant to the environment.

Who needs an environmental site assessment?

A business owner who wants to establish a baseline environmental condition of the property prior to sale;
A buyer who wants to know the extent of possible environmental liabilities on the property;
A bank or other lender who wants to be sure that the property is not devalued by environmental conditions (or if it is, that the equity basis for the loan is adjusted accordingly).

Examples of site assessment steps:

A diagram of the walkthrough process, with examples of the logic behind site inspections.
A diagram of some of the threshold questions typically considered during a walkthrough.