Environmental Site Assessment Phase I: A Basic Guide

Front Matter.pdf......Page 1
Environmental Site Assessment Phase 1: Fundamentals, Guidelines, and Regulations, Third Edition......Page 2
Contents......Page 4
Preface......Page 12
Acknowledgments......Page 14
About the Author......Page 15
Introduction......Page 16
All Appropriate Inquiries Rule......Page 17
Environmental Pollutant......Page 18
ASTM Standard......Page 19
Legal Terms......Page 20
Sellers......Page 22
Buyers......Page 23
Lenders......Page 24
Corporate Officers, Directors, Shareholders, and Successors......Page 25
Previous Trends Toward the Reduction of Environmental Liability......Page 26
Costly Concerns, Not Considered Environmental Pollutants......Page 27
Summary......Page 28
References......Page 29
Introduction......Page 30
Evolution of the Toxic Scare......Page 31
The Toxic Wastelands: Media Coverage......Page 33
Love Canal......Page 42
Other Hazardous Substances......Page 43
Asbestos......Page 44
Polychlorinated Biphenyls......Page 46
Dioxins......Page 47
DDT......Page 48
Mold/Fungi......Page 49
Environmental Crimes/Criminals......Page 50
Illegal Hazardous Waste Site Management......Page 51
Officials Accused of Criminal Negligence......Page 52
Costs and Damages......Page 53
Summary......Page 55
References......Page 56
Introduction......Page 59
Purpose of the Site Assessment......Page 60
Clarification......Page 61
Different Phases......Page 65
Limitations......Page 66
Details about the Property......Page 67
An Organized Management Plan......Page 68
A Title Search......Page 69
Documents......Page 70
Maps......Page 71
Sketch the Area......Page 72
Summary......Page 73
Introduction......Page 75
Topographic Characteristics......Page 76
Surface Soils and Subsurface Geologic Characteristics......Page 78
Surface Soils......Page 79
Surface Water Hydrologic Characteristics......Page 82
Hydrogeologic Characteristics......Page 85
Aquifers......Page 88
Influences and Relationships......Page 91
Summary......Page 96
References......Page 97
Introduction......Page 98
Title Records......Page 99
Aerial Photographs......Page 100
Fire Insurance Maps......Page 103
Property Tax Records......Page 109
Building Permits......Page 111
Safety and Health Records......Page 112
Waste Management Permits......Page 113
Solid Waste and Landfill Facilities......Page 114
On-Site Paper Detective......Page 115
Material Safety Data Sheets......Page 116
Corporate Management Records......Page 119
Commercial Directories......Page 120
Mining and Natural Resource Records......Page 121
Oil and Gas Wells......Page 122
Water Wells......Page 123
References......Page 124
Federal Listings and Databases......Page 126
National Priorities List......Page 128
RCRA Databases......Page 132
RCRA Information System......Page 134
Federal Tracking System......Page 135
State Priority Lists......Page 136
Underground Storage Tanks......Page 137
Registered Storage Tank Listings......Page 138
Leaking Storage Tank Listings......Page 139
Community Right-to-Know Records......Page 140
Landfills and Solid Waste Disposal Sites......Page 141
Air Emissions Records......Page 142
Database Mapping......Page 143
Summary......Page 144
References......Page 148
Introduction......Page 149
Reconnaissance of the Property......Page 150
General Description of Structures, Roads, and Fences......Page 152
Inside Structural Observations......Page 153
Water Wells......Page 154
Debris......Page 156
Soil Mounds......Page 158
Ground Depressions......Page 159
Poor or No Growth of Vegetation......Page 160
Dead Wildlife......Page 161
Evidence of Surface Water Contamination......Page 162
Aboveground Structures Other than Buildings......Page 164
Signs of Subsurface Structures......Page 165
Odors......Page 167
Air Emissions......Page 168
Signs of Mining/Quarry Activities......Page 169
Electrical Supply System......Page 170
Cemeteries......Page 171
Other......Page 173
Property Usage......Page 174
Effluent and Air Emissions......Page 175
Summary......Page 176
References......Page 178
Introduction......Page 179
Owners......Page 180
Site Residents......Page 182
Local Government Officials......Page 183
Historians/Local Historical Societies......Page 184
Summary......Page 185
Building Records......Page 186
Blueprints/Special Drawings......Page 187
Hazardous Substance Building Materials......Page 188
Asbestos-Containing Material: > % Asbestos......Page 189
Uses of Asbestos in Buildings......Page 190
Health Hazards Associated with Asbestos Exposures......Page 191
Asbestos Removal Procedures......Page 193
Basic Sampling Methodology for Asbestos-Containing Building Materials......Page 194
Moisture and Mold in Building Materials......Page 196
Lead-Based Paint......Page 198
Health Hazards Associated with Lead Exposures......Page 199
Sampling Methodology for Paint......Page 200
Sampling Methodology for Drinking Water......Page 201
Uses of PCBs......Page 202
Evaluation Methodology for PCBs......Page 203
Sources of Radon......Page 204
Radon Exposure Potentials......Page 206
Chlordane......Page 210
Illegal Drug Laboratories......Page 211
Summary......Page 212
References......Page 213
Industrial Processes......Page 215
Petroleum Processing and Refining......Page 216
Paint Formulators......Page 217
Printing Operations......Page 218
Paper Manufacturing......Page 219
Wood Preserving......Page 220
Electronics Industry......Page 221
Other Industries......Page 222
Vehicle Maintenance......Page 223
Special Considerations......Page 224
Summary......Page 225
References......Page 226
Introduction......Page 227
Threatened and Endangered Species......Page 228
Critical and Unique Habitat......Page 229
Buildings and Structures of Historic Value......Page 236
Wetlands......Page 238
Wild and Scenic Rivers......Page 242
Summary......Page 243
References......Page 244
Summary of the Components......Page 245
Report Format......Page 246
Projected Risks......Page 247
Putting It All Together......Page 249
Recommendations......Page 250
Routine Audits and Updating the Records......Page 251
Undeveloped Land......Page 252
Residential Property......Page 253
Commercial Property......Page 254
Industrial Property......Page 255
Summary......Page 256
References......Page 257
CERCLA......Page 258
RCRA......Page 259
SARA TITLE III (Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act)......Page 260
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, or the “Superfund” Act)......Page 261
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)......Page 262
Appendix 3: Report Format for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments......Page 263
Appendix 4: A Checklist Approach......Page 265
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)......Page 270
U.S. Geological Survey......Page 271
Private aerial surveys......Page 272
Land Disposal......Page 273
Agency Addresses......Page 275
Appendix 7: HUD Standard Practices for Collecting Paint Samples......Page 277
B......Page 280
D......Page 281
G......Page 282
L......Page 283
O......Page 284
P......Page 285
S......Page 286
U......Page 287
W......Page 288
Abbreviations and Acronyms......Page 289