Pennsylvania Phase I ESA Providers

Best Phase I ESA Providers in Pennsylvania Did the bank request the completion of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) before they will give you a loan for a commercial property? Do you need a Phase I ESA to be sure your property meets appropriate due diligence requirements set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP)—so you do not become liable for someone else’s negligence? If so, you are going to research different environmental consulting firms to find one that best fits your company’s unique and important needs. While our services help clients with all types of environmental issues—including Phase I ESAs—we understand you may still want to consider all of your options before selecting an environmental consultant. It is common for customers to as us “If we do not use Ambipar Response EMS, who else would you recommend?” For your convenience, we have compiled a list of the ten best Phase I ESA providers in Pennsylvania.

It is important to employ the help of environmental professionals who possess the knowledge and expertise of ever-changing environmental regulations. Searching for a Phase I ESA provider to effectively and efficiently complete the ESA on your property may seem tedious, but it is also an important step to ensure you and your property are protected in the event of preexisting environmental contamination. We understand that there are many other environmental consultants in your area, and some may be more suitable for your situation than others.

In this article we will briefly discuss the purpose of a Phase I ESA, the qualifications that an environmental professional should possess, and a list of the best Phase I ESA providers in Pennsylvania.

What is a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment?

The goal of the Phase I ESA is to determine if there are any situations on the site that meet the definition of a Recognized Environmental Condition (REC). A REC is defined as the presence or likely presence of any hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at a property. The finding of a REC does not mean the banker will not approve a loan, but they may request further investigation of the REC to determine if there has been any environmental impact.

Environmental contamination—and its associated liability—may have significant adverse effects on the value of real estate and may, in certain circumstances, cause a lender to be held directly liable for the environmental cleanup of the property. The cost of such a cleanup may exceed, by many times, both the amount of the loan granted to the borrower, as well as the value of the property.

What Qualifications Should a Phase I ESA Provider Possess?

Two of the most common questions we answer are, “Does the individual need to be licensed?” “Does an Environmental Professional have to do it?”

To put it simply, if you want a high-quality Phase I ESA correctly completed on your property, the answer to both questions is YES! Based upon the importance of strictly complying with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), the All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) rule, and also upon the importance of providing appropriate due diligence for prospective buyers and their lenders, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set strict minimum standards for environmental professionals looking to perform Phase I ESAs:

An Environmental Professional is a person who possesses sufficient specific education, training, and experience necessary to exercise professional judgment to develop opinions and conclusions regarding the presence of releases or threatened releases to the surface or subsurface of a property. The definition includes persons who:

hold a Professional Engineer’s or Professional Geologist’s license or registration and have three years of full-time relevant experience.
are licensed or certified by a state, tribe, or the Federal government to perform All Appropriate Inquiries and have three years of full-time relevant experience.
have a Baccalaureate degree or higher from an accredited institution of higher education in a relevant discipline of engineering, environmental science, or earth science and five years of full-time relevant experience.
have 10 or more years of full-time relevant experience.

EMS recommends these additional qualifications for Environmental Professionals:

Experience with the current American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard
Experience with similar properties
Remediation experience
Professional Liability Insurance
Responsiveness

Best Phase I ESA Providers in Pennsylvania

While EMS is always willing and certainly able to address your Phase I ESA needs, we understand the importance of researching other environmental consultants in your area that may be more suitable for your situation and budget. There are hundreds of viable options for you to explore, but for your convenience, we have compiled a list of the best Phase I ESA providers in Pennsylvania. We believe these companies possess all of the aforementioned qualities and will provide a high-caliber Phase I Environmental Site Assessment on your property.

Barry Isett & Associates

Founded: 1977

PA locations: Allentown

Barry Issett & Associates works with local and national banks to complete environmental site assessments. They follow current ASTM standards to determine the potential for environmental risk on commercial real estate properties.

de maximis, Inc.

Founded: 1988

PA locations: Allentown

de maximis, Inc. has assisted in environmental site remediation projects with the goal of modifying the scope of work and identifying opportunities where time of remediation can be reduced.

Duffield Associates

Founded: 1976

PA locations: Carlisle, Philadelphia

Duffield Associates was among the first companies to discuss environmental business risk and claims to perform hundreds of state-of-the-art Phase I ESAs each year.

Environmental Waste Minimization, Inc.

Founded: 1995

PA locations: Northampton

EWMI has field personnel who are OSHA-certified and are able to apply their knowledge to a wide variety of remedial services, including Phase I ESAs.

Groundwater Environmental Services, Inc.

Founded: 1985

PA locations: Altoona, Cranberry Township, Exton, Williamsport

GES claims to have conducted thousands of environmental site assessments in many geographical settings in order to identify the existence of any recognized environmental conditions.

Kleinfelder

Founded: 1961

PA locations: Cranberry Township, Exton

Kleinfelder develops solutions to achieve project goals, control costs, and minimize environmental impact while conducting Phase I ESAs for their clients.

Langan

Founded: 1970

PA locations: Bethlehem, Doylestown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

Langan leads their clients through complex environmental challenges while helping them overcome scientific obstacles and governmental policies when conducting their Phase I ESAs.

Liberty Environmental, Inc.

Founded: 2004

PA locations: Lancaster, Philadelphia, Reading

Liberty Environmental’s experts specialize in Phase I ESAs at industrial complexes, commercial properties, and residential developments. They are involved with ASTM Committee E50, and follow ASTM standards to complete their assessments.

Mobile Environmental Analytical, Inc.

Founded: 1992

PA locations: Bangor

MEA’s 40-hour OSHA-certified professionals conduct Phase I ESAs in accordance with ASTM standards to learn about a site’s environmental condition and potential presence of hazardous substances.

Salem Environmental

Founded: 2008

Nearest location: Flemington, New Jersey

Salem Environmental uses a proprietary database and retrieval software to complete between 200-500 Phase I ESAs every year, without a physical property inspection.

Now that you have some basic information regarding your options for Phase I ESA providers, consider the services your business requires so that you can better fit your needs to the perfect consultant for you.

Remember to consider these factors when doing so:

Choosing your Phase I ESA provider is an integral part of the due diligence process when purchasing commercial property. A purchaser or lessee of contaminated property can be liable for environmental cleanup costs even if the leak, spill or release happened decades earlier, without regard to fault or negligence.
Prospective purchasers should also evaluate whether their environmental professional should investigate risks outside of the scope of the AAI rule. Selection of an appropriate Phase I ESA provider is essential to a successful transaction and limiting exposure to potential liability associated with property purchases.

If you have any questions about how EMS can help you, or even if you have any questions about the environmental consultants listed above, please feel free to contact us.