We often perform Phase 1 Environmental Assessments prior to property foreclosure. The Phase 1 Site Assessments are key in obtaining the CERCLA liability protections, which are afforded by following the current ASTM standard for conducting Phase I ESAs. But the ASTM standard scope of work does not require an assessment of issues pertaining to asbestos, mold, lead-based paint, etc. Prior to taking title to a property through foreclosure, it is prudent to have your consultant address these issues...
Read More »Most of these environmental concerns and potential liabilities at a given site are unknown until a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is performed. Unfortunately, a Phase I ESA is typically driven by a property transaction and not by an expired lease. That does not mean an evaluation of your tenant’s hazardous material handling practices cannot be performed. This can be done quickly and in a cost-effective manner by having an Environmental Tenant Assessment performed. This assessment...
Read More »Phase 1 Site Assessments often identify recognized environmenal
conditions (RECs) that result in Phase 2 Subsurface Investigations.
Sometimes it's easy to predict RECs before the Phase 1 Site
Assessment is ever conducted (i.e. onsite USTs, onsite drycleaner,
adjacent gasoline service station or drycleaner). When this is the
case, encourage your consultant to knock out two birds with one
stone. Phase 1 Site Assessments and Phase 2 Subsurface
Investigations can be conducted in one visit to the...Read More »
Whether you are a lender, borrower,
purchaser, or seller in a commercial property
transaction, August Mack has the tools and experience you'll need
to ensure proper environmental due diligence has been conducted
prior to property transfer. Whether you are simply looking to
manage risk, or if you are seeking CERCLA liability protection,
August Mack can help! We offer the following standard due diligence
services:
- Desktop Records Review with Risk Assessment
- Transaction Screen Assessment
- Modified...
On October 1, 2010 the Small
Business Administration released the latest revision to its
standard operating procedures (SOP) for lender and development
company loan programs. The latest version, designated as SOP 50 10
5(C), includes some changes to the environmental policy when making
SBA guaranteed loans:
· For loans less than $150,000, if the lender’s environmental questionnaire reveals the need for additional investigation, a Desktop Environmental Review must be conducted by an...
Read More »Most of my blog discusses issues
concerning and/or helping industry and businesses. But every so
often I have people ask me questions about something from a
personal perspective. Over the last month, a number of people asked
me about "air duct cleaning". Subsequently, I thought I would
post a link concerning this issue that is from the US EPA
website:
Now to the business side of our
company. If you need any help with regards to Phase 1...
Read More »I am Tom Anderson with August Mack Environmental. August Mack is a
full-service environmental, health and safety compliance consulting
firm that has been in business for over 22 years. Our goal is to
provide common sense business solutions to any EH&S issue when
companies and organizations need help from the outside. We do a
wide range of work but it typically falls into several areas of
expertise. This includes transactional type work such as Phase One
Environmental Site Assessments and Phase...Read More »
We've all said these five little
words at some point in our lives...maybe not recently, maybe not
even since we were five years old.
But when a client asks, "But do I HAVE to do a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment?" My answer is always the same..."You don't HAVE to do one, but you don't HAVEto wear a parachute when you jump out of an airplane either."
Although they are not legally required, Phase 1 Site Assessments protect your liability as a potential purchaser. See some of my past posts for...
Read More »But when a client asks, "But do I HAVE to do a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment?" My answer is always the same..."You don't HAVE to do one, but you don't HAVEto wear a parachute when you jump out of an airplane either."
Although they are not legally required, Phase 1 Site Assessments protect your liability as a potential purchaser. See some of my past posts for...
With the first half of 2010
officially behind us, we are forced to look
ahead. While transactions in the commercial real
estate are still seemingly depressed and lenders are still looking
at the future with "cautious optimism," people should still
understand their environmental due diligence during the limited
number of transactions taking place. Now more than ever, the
Phase One Environmental Site Assessment is a
must!
Until someone invents a money tree...Investors and loan officers should...
Read More »Until someone invents a money tree...Investors and loan officers should...
Owning a commercial or industrial building can present unexpected environmental liabilities. A property owner is ultimately responsible for the environmental condition of the property which includes contamination caused by past or current tenants. Most of these environmental concerns and potential liabilities are unknown until a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment is performed. Unfortunately, a Phase 1 Site Assessment is typically driven by a property transaction and not by an expired lease....
Read More »So are they Phase 1 Environmental Assessments? Is it
written Phase One Environmental Site Assessment? Phase I
Environmental Site Assessment?...so many names for one little
project...but they are so much more! Check out some of our
frequently asked questions about Phase I ESAs (had to add one more
in there) at
www.augustmack.com/Newsletter/2008/May/Article0089.html
All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) is a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment that provides CERCLA liability protection. An AAI is a type of environmental due diligence that evaluates a property’s environmental conditions and determines potential liability for any contamination. The AAI Phase 1 Site Assessment is used to identify conditions indicative of releases and threatened releases of:
- Hazardous substances
- Pollutants and contaminants
- Petroleum or petroleum products
- Controlled substances
The AAI...
Read More »Vapor intrusion (VI) is one
pathway for building occupants to come in contact with chemicals of
concern, occurring when vapors from contaminated soil and/or
groundwater migrate into the indoor air of overlying structures.
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard
Practice for Assessment of Vapor Intrusion into Structures on
Property Involved in Real Estate Transactions E 2600-08 has
been developed based on an industry need to address the VI pathway.
Prospective property...
Read More »The six primary types of environmental site assessment reports are:
- Desktop Environmental Review - Record review only with no site visit
- ASTM E 1528-06 Transaction Screen - Site visit conducted by either environmental assessment consultant or user
- Phase 1 Site Assessment Update - Update prior Phase 1 Environmental Assessments with current government records data, historical data, interviews and site visits. This is most appropriate for Phase 1 Site Assessment that have exceeded their shelf life...
So I let my blog fall WAAAY behind, my apologies. Time
can totally get away from you if you let it, I guess.
Stay tuned, I will try to be more diligent and get some good entries posted about Phase 1 Environmental Assessments (and other non-scope considerations), environmental due diligence, environmental assessment and remediation!
In the meantime, check out this article on the increase in Phase One Environmental Site Assessment activity: www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html
Read More »
Stay tuned, I will try to be more diligent and get some good entries posted about Phase 1 Environmental Assessments (and other non-scope considerations), environmental due diligence, environmental assessment and remediation!
In the meantime, check out this article on the increase in Phase One Environmental Site Assessment activity: www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html
Read More »
Owning
a commercial or industrial building can present unexpected
environmental liabilities. A property owner is ultimately
responsible for the environmental condition of the property which
includes contamination caused by past or current tenants. Most of
these environmental concerns and potential liabilities are unknown
until a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is
performed. Unfortunately, a Phase 1 Site Assessment is
typically driven by a property transaction and not by an...
Read More »August Mack has a recorded webinar
available on Phase One Environmental Site Assessments (ESA).
It is very important, and most times required by lenders, to have a
Phase One Environmental Site Assessment performed prior to a
property transaction. The purpose of an ESA is to identify
environmental risks associated with the property and to protect
against liability related to existing site conditions. However,
there are a number of environmental considerations that are outside
the scope of a Phase...
Read More »August Mack has a recorded webinar
available on the importance of a Phase 1 Environmental
Assessments in a tight economy. A quick scan of any headline,
let alone the real estate headlines in 2009, is enough to scare
even the most even-keeled and optimistic individual. Perhaps now,
more than ever, the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is
an even more important piece of the real estate transaction puzzle.
So, why is a Phase I so important?
Click here to view the recorded webinar on phase...
Read More »Click here to view the recorded webinar on phase...
August Mack was awarded 100 new projects in February. So you might
ask, what types of projects are you doing? Here is a sampling of
the types of projects that our clients awarded us recently:
- Air Permitting
- Phase 1 Site Assessments
- Tier II Reporting
- Groundwater Sampling
- Industrial Hygiene Sampling
- Permit Review
August Mack specializes in
environmental, health and safety compliance; environmental due
diligence; environmental site remediation; and sustainable business
strategies to the...
Read More »It is very important, and most
times required by lenders, to have a Phase 1 Environmental
Site Assessment (ESA) performed prior to a property transaction.
The purpose of an ESA is to identify environmental risks associated
with the property and to protect against liability related to
existing site conditions. However, there are a number of
environmental considerations that are outside the scope of a
Phase One ESA; commonly referred within an ESA as Non-Scope
Considerations. These additional...
Read More »
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