Environmental Site Assessments

There are three common types of Environmental Site Assessments, or ESAs. They are summarized below:

 1. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I ESA).  Primarily an historical records review, a Phase I ESA also includes a site visit and assessment but does not include any testing of soil or building materials.  The Phase I will either state that no issues (“recognized environmental conditions" or RECs) were identified, OR will recommend further testing.  

2. Phase II Environmental Site Assessment.  If the Phase I recommends soil testing, the Phase II ESA designs, performs and reports on that testing.  If reportable quantities of contaminants are identified during this phase, a local regulatory agency will be notified and will monitor the Phase III cleanup.

3. Phase III – Site Cleanup.  The Phase III site cleanup will design and execute a soils cleanup project in cooperation with and/or under the direction of the identified lead agency.  “Remediation” can mean excavation, transport and disposal, or may instead by achieved by in-situ equipment brought to the site.  

Click here to view a decision tree that guides one through the environmental assessment process.