Environmental remediation can be painful and costly for

1. FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Once the ESA is compiled, it will conclude with a section
detailing the findings and making recommendations based on
the findings.
This section typically answers questions such as:
✓✓ Are there known areas of contamination on the property?
✓✓ Is environmental remediation necessary?
✓✓ Are there any gaps in the data presented
pertaining to the property?
✓✓ Do the records show a complete history of
the property’s ownership?
INTERVIEWS
DOCUMENT REVIEW
Environmental professionals will interview sources who can
provide more insight into the property, including:
✓✓ Owners
✓✓ Tenants
✓✓ Occupants
✓✓ Neighboring property owners
✓✓ State and local regulators
REGULATORY RESEARCH
An ESA also will include a property’s history from a regulatory
standpoint, including any and all relevant reports from agencies
such as:
✓✓ Fire departments
✓✓ State environmental agencies
✓✓ Federal environmental agencies
Environmental remediation can be painful and costly for
commercial property owners, especially if it is unexpected.
Environmental remediation often is prompted by the results of a
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). An ESA has become
a standard component of many actions related to commercial
property, such as purchasing the site, applying for a land-use
permit, or applying for a loan from a new lender. ESAs also can
stem from the property owner or a regulatory agency wanting to
determine whether any toxic conditions exist on the site. Commercial
property types that commonly require an ESA include service
stations, manufacturing and industrial facilities, dry cleaners, oil
and gas exploration and production sites, refineries, and sites with
underground storage tanks.
Obtaining an ESA on a commercial property can be very
beneficial for property owners, as an ESA can help limit liability,
prevent certain environmental fines and sanctions, meet conditions
for some loans, and identify contaminants that must be remediated.
This checklist highlights what commercial property owners can expect
during a Phase I ESA.
SITE VISIT
Environmental professionals will visit the site and make an
initial assessment, which will be noted in the final ESA.
This visit may include:
✓✓ Walk-through inspection
✓✓ Evaluation of potential on-site issues
✓✓ Cataloging of the presence of any hazardous
materials or petroleum products
HISTORICAL RESEARCH
The ESA will include any relevant historical information
about the property that might provide insight into the land’s
past use, including:
✓✓ Title information
✓✓ Building permits
✓✓ Planning records
✓✓ Historical aerial photographs
✓✓ Topographical maps
✓✓ Historical land use
✓✓ Current land use
✓✓ Adjacent land use
SITE RECONNAISSANCE
An inspection conducted by environmental professionals will
note the conditions of the property from a geological and
hydrogeological perspective. This section of the ESA will
include information such as:
✓✓ Soil type
✓✓ Geological setting
✓✓ Building materials used on site
✓✓ Condition of grounds and roadways
✓✓ Presence of pipelines
✓✓ Locations of any stressed vegetation
GRAND SLAM CONSTRUCTION, LLC.
www.grandslamcllc.com
SCOPE OF A PHASE 1
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT