Spring is here, and ePhase is ramping up! This past month, we had a record-breaking SIXTEEN Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs). While many of the sites we investigate, such as office buildings, apartment complexes, and agricultural fields, may not seem like environmental concerns at first glance, unexpected “recognized environmental conditions” (RECs) arise more often than you might think.
We recently investigated a property in Montgomery County with one building and roughly 20 acres of undeveloped woods that was most recently occupied by a restaurant. The site showed no immediate concerns, but our environmental database review uncovered three upgradient drycleaners within a quarter-mile- two of which had reported groundwater impacts. Drycleaners are among the worst offenders of soil and groundwater contamination due to their use of perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical that resists degradation and sinks deep into aquifers, increasing the risk of migration to nearby sites.
A similar situation arose for an ESA we did in West Goshen Township, where an upgradient site, formerly occupied by ICI Americas, Inc. (ICI) from 1973 to 1988, released trichloroethylene (TCE) impacting the groundwater. Despite ICI ceasing operations in 1988, records show TCE was still present in groundwater samples as recently as 2016, leading to an environmental covenant restricting groundwater use across multiple properties, including ours. While these impacts may not be the fault of a new owner, they must be accounted for to mitigate vapor intrusion and ensure safe working and living conditions for occupants.
And if there’s one major takeaway from our work this past month, it’s this: KEEP YOUR PAPERWORK. We investigated a southern Chester County property occupied by retail shops and a restaurant- but historical records showed it was once a garage with underground gasoline tanks from 1923-1944. While prior investigations had looked into these tanks, the documentation was incomplete. During the tank investigation, one tank was pulled and confirmatory samples were collected. It doesn’t make sense to only pull one tank, but the documentation did not reference a second tank. Luckily, the tank removal was done just a few years ago and I was able to contact the company that did the work, which verified that only one large tank had ever existed, suggesting historical mapping errors.
Tank during removal
Environmental risks may not always be visible, but they can greatly impact property owners, developers, and residents alike. That’s why at ePhase, we dive deep into historical data and environmental conditions to uncover potential hazards before they become costly surprises.
As we move into the busy spring season, we remain committed to thorough investigations and environmental due diligence- because when it comes to environmental impacts, it’s always better to know.
