Los Angeles Property Condition Report Company A Los Angeles property condition report company such as Geo Forward provides stakeholders with its expertise in building codes, materials, and engineering-construction principles. In essence, Geo Forward Property Condition Assessments (PCAs) serve as a guiding light for investors of existing structures. Updated April 17, 2024. Advantages of Los Angeles…
Houston Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Company Geo Forward is a preferred Houston Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment company. The Texas team is dedicated to preserving the industrial progress of the greater Houston area, with environmental compliance and sustainability. With highly efficient methods and technology, Geo Forward produces cost-effective environmental data, productive solutions, and action…
City of Long Beach Methane Gas Zone Mitigation A City of Long Beach Methane Gas Zone represents areas with high levels of subsurface natural gas and methane soil gas. These areas present explosion hazards for buildings, due to biogenic and petrogenic gases of decomposing petroleum deposits, and landfills. As a result, the Building and Safety Bureau…
What to Know Before a Los Angeles Methane Testing Report This post provides readers with 10 important things to consider before ordering a Los Angeles methane testing report. For more information about what methane testing is, please refer to Geo Forward’s “Official Methane Testing and Soil Gas Survey Page.” Updated August 7, 2024. 1) Confirm…
ASTM E1527-21 Standard Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Quarter four of the year 2021 entails an update to the ASTM Standard for Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment reports. The current ASTM standard for a Phase 1 ESA is “E1527-13.” Per a mandatory revision cycle, version E1527-21 proposes modern strategies to assess new and existing human…
What is an ALTA Survey? An ALTA Survey is a specialized Boundary Survey of a property that adheres to strict standards developed by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). An essential part of any legal ownership of land, the boundaries of a property must be properly and…
Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) A Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) evaluates the potential dangers to people where there may be some exposure to chemical contaminants in soil, groundwater, ambient air, or soil gas. Typically, the recommendation for an HHRA stems from the Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment process. However, the awareness for indoor air…
Indoor Air Quality Testing Indoor air quality testing involves collecting and containing samples of ambient air from inside a building and analyzing them to determine what chemicals may be affecting human health and safety. Sources of pollution may exist on- or off-site and can accumulate above- or below-ground. Indoor air quality testing is necessary at…
Phase 2 Environmental Recommendation In some cases, there may be a Phase 2 Environmental recommendation for a property, resulting from a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment. Typically, this occurs when one or more Recognizable Environmental Conditions indicate the possibility of subsurface contamination. For instance, a property with an in-place underground storage tank (UST) can likely…
Remediation after Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment Contamination Remediation refers to the process of cleaning up a property with contamination issues that are usually discovered during the Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and Phase 2 Subsurface Investigation process. Today, there are a variety of remediation methods and technologies to apply at a site. And…
How Long is a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment Good For? A Phase 1 Environmental Assessment is good for one year in most cases. However, expiration also depends on the purpose of the report, and events that take place on the property. For instance, changing industry standards, new environmental conditions, and the CERCLA statutes of limitations…
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment process comprises a rigorous review of a property’s history, along with a physical inspection of the current conditions. And the end result is a lengthy report that follows regulation standards. For the convenience of Clients, environmental consultants usually provide executive summaries at the…
Phase 2 Environmental Screening Level Phase 2 Environmental Screening Level Numbers are comparative concentrations of chemicals in soil or soil-gas, which represent a threshold for human health concern. In a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment, these numbers are tools to compare directly with the contaminant detection on site. As a result, a practical risk assessment…
Environmental Professional Definition Environmental Professional: As per the EPA’s All Appropriate Inquiries Rule, an environmental professional is an environmental consultant that has an accredited education in earth or natural science, at least five years of formal training under another environmental professional, a professional state license, and maintains expert knowledge in the environmental geology, sustainability, and…
All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) The term “All Appropriate Inquiries” (AAI) is defined as the official EPA and ASTM method to inquire about current or historical environmental conditions that may exist on a property, in relation to their legal and environmental liabilities during a commercial real estate transaction. The All Appropriate Inquiries “Final Rule” is 40 CFR…
Historical Recognized Environmental Condition (HREC) The term Historical Recognized Environmental Condition (HREC) refers to a past release that doesn’t pose a present land-use restriction, nor does it warrant recommendations for clean-up. The HREC is one of the various conditions of a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment. The definition derives from publications by the American Society…
Definition of Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) What is a Recognized Environmental Condition (REC)? A simplified definition of a recognized environmental condition (REC) is any occurrence whereby: 1). actual pollution of the environment is occurring; 2). the threat of pollution of the environment occurs; or 3). there is a preponderance of evidence suggesting possible pollution of…
Controlled Recognized Environmental Condition (CREC) CREC stands for Controlled Recognized Environmental Condition. This terminology derives from a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment and represents one of the few categories of environmental concerns. A CREC is a release that has potentially achieved corrective action, but where contaminants still may remain, and where engineering controls or activity use…
Environmental Questionnaire Sample & Example An environmental questionnaire is a preliminary task in the environmental due diligence process by lenders and other information-seekers. The questionnaire screens the environmental hazards of a property undergoing any transaction. It consolidates the known facts of a property upfront, for a basic level of contamination and health risk presumption. Typically,…
Phase 1 Reliance Letter Cost & Price A Phase 1 Reliance Letter cost can vary. However, typical prices for a Phase 1 ESA Reliance Letter range from $250 to $600. Moreover, prices for a Phase 1 ESA and Phase 2 ESA Reliance Letter together can range between $850 and $2,000. In addition to the time spent preparing…
De Minimis Condition in Phase 1 ESA Reports? A de minimis condition, as per the ASTM E1527 Standard for Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment reports, is a property condition that doesn’t pose a threat to human health or the environment. Although this is a notable concern to document, it does not warrant further action or…
What is the Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Cost As of the year 2024 a typical Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment cost ranges between $1,900 and $3,200. The price depends on the property size, location, and turnaround time. Sometimes, Phase 1 ESA prices can be as high as $6,500. For instance, a 3,000-sqft typical commercial…
Vapor Intrusion & Soil Vapor Testing A vapor intrusion investigation entails the study of toxic soil gases that migrate through the subsurface and into the living spaces of structures aboveground. Geologists perform soil vapor tests to evaluate the presence of vapor-phase contamination underground. Additionally, the chemical content of the vapor samples is examined for toxicity…
Reporting Results of Environmental Due Diligence Investigation “Are there requirements for reporting results of an Environmental Due Diligence Investigation to the government?” Each case is different. The answer is generally “no,” because ESA reports are typically proprietary. However, if there is any trace of danger or impact on the public’s health or well-being (in any…
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Cost The price of a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment can vary, depending on the aspects of a property. The Phase II Environmental Site Assessment cost is typically between $5,800 and $12,000 (for a standard commercial lot). Sometimes, Phase 2 ESAs can cost as much as $25,000. Clients seeking the…
Superfund: CERCLA Innocent Landowner Defense Superfund is CERCLA which is an acronym for the “Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.” The CERCLA Innocent Landowner Defense policy was passed on December 11 in 1980, following the realization that historical hazardous waste disposal and materials handling practices were grossly negligent. The law grants Federal authorities to…
What is a Phase II ESA in Real Estate Due Diligence? The term “Phase II ESA” is short for Phase II Subsurface Investigation. It is an environmental due diligence report that typically follows the Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment process when recognized environmental conditions are apparent. During the commercial real estate due diligence period, this…
