Phase I Environmental Site Assessments

Miller Environmental Assessment (MEA) performs Phase I ESAs to the ASTM E1527-21 standard, which EPA recognizes as meeting the All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) rule at 40 CFR Part 312. Every report is prepared by a licensed geologist with 14 years in the field and hundreds of completed Phase I and Phase II ESAs.

Why a Phase I matters

Under the federal Superfund law (CERCLA), a property owner can be held liable for contamination they didn't cause. A Phase I done before you acquire the property is the first step toward three defenses to that liability: the bona fide prospective purchaser, innocent landowner and contiguous property owner protections. That is why nearly every commercial lender requires one.

What's included

  • Records review. Federal, state and tribal environmental databases, state agency files where they matter, and the environmental lien and activity and use limitation information you provide.

  • Historical research. Aerial photographs, Sanborn fire insurance maps, city directories, topographic maps and building records, back to the property's first developed use or 1940, whichever is earlier.

  • Site reconnaissance. A walk of the property and a look at adjoining properties for tanks, fill ports, stained soil, drums, floor drains, sumps and other signs of a release.

  • Interviews. The current owner, occupants, key site manager and, where useful, local officials such as the fire department.

  • A clear report. Findings, opinions and conclusions up front, with each recognized environmental condition explained in plain language.

What we find, and what it means

  • No RECs. No evidence of a release that needs follow-up. You can proceed with the standard's protections in place.

  • Recognized environmental condition (REC). A likely or known release, or a material threat of one. Usually leads to a Phase II.

  • Controlled REC. A past release cleaned up to a regulator's satisfaction, with restrictions (a deed notice, a no-groundwater-use limit) that stay with the property.

  • Historical REC. A past release closed without restrictions.

  • De minimis condition. A minor stain or spill that wouldn't draw regulatory action.

Timing and viability

We schedule the work around your closing date. Most Phase I ESAs are delivered within 10 business days of authorization, and rush service is available. For liability protection, key parts of the Phase I (interviews, lien searches, government records review, the site visit and the Environmental Professional's declaration) must be completed within 180 days before you acquire the property, and the report as a whole is viable for one year. If your closing slips, ask about an update rather than a new report.

Who we work with

Anyone who needs an ASTM-compliant Phase I ESA for a commercial real estate transaction, including SBA loans. Environmental consulting firms can also bring us in for Phase I work or site reconnaissance in our region, under their name and their client relationship.

Qualifications

Phase I ESAs are prepared by Daniel Miller, a Missouri Registered Geologist and Kansas Professional Geologist with a B.S. in Geology from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and 14 years of environmental consulting experience. He meets the Environmental Professional definition at 40 CFR 312.10. MEA is based in Kansas City and works nationwide with particular emphasis on Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Arkansas.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Phase I ESA cost?
Price depends on property size and use, how long it has been developed, how many records exist and how fast you need it. Send us the address and your deadline for a firm quote.

Is a Phase I ever enough on its own?
Yes. Many Phase Is find no RECs, and the report alone supports the landowner liability protections.

Does a Phase I include soil or groundwater sampling?
No. Sampling is a Phase II. A Phase I relies on records, observation, and interviews.

Does a Phase I cover asbestos, radon, lead paint or wetlands?
Not under the ASTM standard. MEA offers asbestos inspections as a separate service.

What do you need from me?
The property address, a contact for site access, any prior environmental reports, and the completed User Questionnaire.

Buying, lending on or developing a property?