Print this page How to Conduct Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
Liz Berdugo, P.E.
Course Outline
This 2-hour course is intended to prepare engineers to conduct Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA). In general, Phase I ESAs are typically driven by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and are done when there is a need to assess the environmental condition of commercial real estate. The course is based entirely on the American Society for Testing and Materials', Standard Practice (E 1527) for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process. The Practice is divided into 13 sections that define its scope, when and why assessments are done, and how to conduct an assessment and subsequent report. The Practice is followed by appendices, which include a recommended ESA report format. The course includes a thirty-question quiz at the end, designed to ensure that the engineer has understood the key concepts necessary for conducting a satisfactory Phase I ESA.
Learning Objective
In this course you will learn:
- What a Phase I ESA is and what it entails;
- When and why a Phase I ESA should be conducted;
- Terms associated with Phase I ESAs;
- Who is involved in conducting a Phase I ESA and their responsibilities;
- How to conduct the four components of a Phase I ESA; and
- Additional issues to consider in evaluating commercial real estate.
Intended Audience
The intended audience for this course is Civil and Environmental Engineers that have not conducted a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment before or need a review before feeling confident enough to perform one. This course is intended to ensure that these engineers gather the appropriate data to identify recognized environmental conditions, and to permit a user to satisfy one of the requirements of, and to qualify for, the innocent landowner defense to CERCLA liability.
Benefit to Attendees
In addition to earning PDH credits, engineers taking this course will learn how to conduct Phase I ESAs, a task that many Civil and Environmental Engineers can expect to participate in during their career. This knowledge not only prepares them to conduct ESAs if asked to do so in their work place, but also provides the tools to perform them independently since ESA is a task that lends itself well to being performed by consultants. Finally, it ensures that engineers will perform ESAs in accordance with good commercial and customary practice so as to uphold the high regard of the engineering profession.
Course
Introduction
When commercial real estate undergoes a transaction, such as a new development project, we as engineers are often called upon to assess the environmental conditions of that real estate. This is known as a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has created a Practice to outline good commercial and customary procedure for conducting a Phase I ESA in the United States. This course will teach you how to conduct a Phase I ESA yourself, oversee employees who conduct Phase I ESAs, or give you the facts you need in order to advise others on this important topic.
The course is based entirely on the American Society for Testing and Materials', Standard Practice (E 1528) for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process.
Course
Content
Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process
Please click on the above underlined hypertexts to view, download or print the documents for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Course Content
1) Scope
2) Referenced Documents
3) Terminology
4) Significance and Use
5) Significance of Activity and Use Limitations
6) User's Responsibilities
7) Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
8) Records Review
9) Site Reconnaissance
10) Interviews with Past and Present Owners and Occupants
11) Interviews with State and/or Local Government Officials
12) Evaluation and Report Preparation
13) Non-Scope Considerations
14) Appendices
Course Summary
In this course you've learned that commercial real estate transactions can call for an assessment of environmental conditions and that an engineer, like yourself, may often be asked to do this. By reviewing ASTM's Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments; Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process, you are armed with the knowledge you need to conduct a Phase I ESA, advise others to conduct one, or oversee staff that conduct them.
Related Links
http://www.astm.com/Standards/E1527.htm
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
