Environmental Site Assessments - Phase II - The Burden of Proof

In the last blog we discovered that a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is an investigation performed by a Qualified Person (QP), to determine if it is “likely” that a property is contaminated.

If it is determined that contamination is "likely" then the QP will recommend performing a Phase II ESA to find the “location and concentration” of the suspected pollutants.

To use a CSI analogy, there is a body but lab tests must be run to determine if a crime was committed.  Similarly a Phase II ESA will test the soil, water and air on or under a property to see if contamination exists.

The investigative procedures used in CSI and an ESA are remarkably similar. The QP does the following in preparing a Phase II report:

1. Review Phase 1 and plan the site investigation. 
2. Conduct drilling, sampling and lab testing.
3. Evaluate the lab results.

If contamination is found and it is above the guidelines, then the Phase II report will recommend performing a Phase 3 ESA, or “Site Remediation” to clean-up the property.  

If you would like to see how soil and groundwater samples are collected then watch the videos on our blog,  go to our Facebook page, or go to YouTube and search "Fisher Environmental"

  

Next Blog: Environmental Site Assessments - Phase III – 'The Site Clean-Up'