Logo
Login Sign Up
Current Revision

ASTM E2247-23

Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process for Forestland or Rural Property
Best Price Guarantee
Instant
2-5 Days
SAVE 10%

$108.00

$108.00

$194.40

$130.00

$130.00

$234.00



Sub Total (1 Item(s))

$ 0.00

Estimated Shipping

$ 0.00

Total (Pre-Tax)

$ 0.00


View in Library
or
ASTM International Logo

ASTM E2247-23

Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process for Forestland or Rural Property

PUBLISH DATE 2023
PAGES 60
ASTM E2247-23

1.1 Purpose— The purpose of this practice is to provide an alternative method to ASTM E1527 for good commercial and customary practices in the United States of America for conducting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment2 of forestland or rural property with respect to the range of contaminants within the scope of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and petroleum products. As such, this practice is intended to permit a user to satisfy one of the requirements to qualify for the innocent landowner, contiguous property owner, or bona fide prospective purchaser limitations on CERCLA liability (hereinafter, the “landowner liability protections,” or “LLPs”): that is, the practice that constitutes “all appropriate inquiries” into the previous ownership and uses of a property consistent with good commercial and customary standards and practices as defined at 42 U.S.C. §9601(35)(B). (See Appendix X1 for an outline of CERCLA's liability and defense provisions.) Controlled substances are not included within the scope of this standard.

Persons conducting an environmental site assessment as part of an EPA Brownfields Assessment and Characterization Grant awarded under CERCLA 42 U.S.C. §9604(k)(2)(B) must include controlled substances as defined in the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. §802) within the scope of the assessment investigations to the extent directed in the terms and conditions of the specific grant or cooperative agreement. Additionally, an evaluation of business environmental risk (BER) associated with a parcel of commercial real estate may necessitate investigation beyond that identified in this practice (see 1.4 and Section 13).

1.1.1 Standard Practice Selection— The methodology included in this practice is an effective and practical process for achieving the objectives of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment of forestland or rural property when some of the methodologies of ASTM E1527 are deemed to be impractical or unnecessary due to the size or nature of the property. This practice is intended to provide a more practical approach to assess rural and forestland properties that are generally uniform in use.

A primary consideration in applying this practice instead of E1527 is the nature and extent of the property being assessed, as the typical environmental concerns, sources for interviews and records, and the methodology used to perform the site reconnaissance may differ significantly. The property to be assessed using this standard practice need not be contiguous and may contain isolated areas of non-forestland and non-rural property. Site reconnaissance of isolated areas of the property that include activities outside the definition of forestland or rural property should be addressed using methodologies such as those provided in E1527, which may be conducted and reported in conjunction with this practice, as discussed in 4.5.3.

1.1.2 Recognized Environmental Conditions— The goal of the processes established by this practice is to identify recognized environmental conditions. The term recognized environmental condition means:

  • (1) the presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the subject property due to any release to the environment;
  • (2) the likely presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the subject property due to a release or likely release to the environment; or
  • (3) the presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the subject property under conditions that pose a material threat of a future release to the environment.

A de minimis condition is not a recognized environmental condition.

1.1.3 Related Standard Practices— This practice is closely related to Standard Practice E1527. Standard Practice E1527 is an environmental site assessment for commercial real estate (see 4.3).

1.1.4 Petroleum Products— Petroleum products are included within the scope of this practice because they are of concern with respect to many parcels of forestland or rural property and current custom and usage is to include an inquiry into the presence of petroleum products when conducting an environmental site assessment of forestland or rural property. Inclusion of petroleum products within the scope of this practice is not based upon the applicability, if any, of CERCLA to petroleum products.

1.1.5 CERCLA Requirements Other Than Appropriate Inquiries— This practice does not address whether requirements in addition to all appropriate inquiries have been met in order to qualify for the LLPs (for example, the duties specified in 42 U.S.C. §§9607(b)(3)(a) and (b) and cited in Appendix X1 including the continuing obligation not to impede the integrity and effectiveness of activity and use limitations (AULs), or the duty to take reasonable steps to prevent releases, or the duty to comply with legally required release reporting obligations).

1.1.6 Other Federal, State, and Local Environmental Laws— This practice does not address requirements of any state or local laws or of any federal laws other than the All Appropriate Inquiries provisions of the LLPs. Users are cautioned that federal, state, and local laws may impose environmental assessment obligations that are beyond the scope of this practice. Users should also be aware that there are likely to be other legal obligations with regard to hazardous substances or petroleum products discovered in, on, or at the subject property that are not addressed in this practice and that may pose risks of civil and/or criminal sanctions for non-compliance.3

1.1.7 Documentation— The scope of this practice includes research and reporting requirements that support the user's ability to qualify for the LLPs. As such, sufficient documentation of all sources, records, and resources utilized in conducting the inquiry required by this practice must be provided in the written report (refer to 8.1.9 and 12.2).

1.2 Objectives— Objectives guiding the development of this practice are (1) to synthesize and put in writing good commercial and customary practices for environmental site assessments for forestland or rural property; (2) to facilitate high quality, standardized environmental site assessments; (3) to provide a practical and reasonable standard practice for all

1.1 Purpose— The purpose of this practice is to provide an alternative method to ASTM E1527 for good commercial and customary practices in the United States of America for conducting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment2 of forestland or rural property with respect to the range of contaminants within the scope of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and petroleum products. As such, this practice is intended to permit a user to satisfy one of the requirements to qualify for the innocent landowner, contiguous property owner, or bona fide prospective purchaser limitations on CERCLA liability (hereinafter, the “landowner liability protections,” or “LLPs”): that is, the practice that constitutes “all appropriate inquiries” into the previous ownership and uses of a property consistent with good commercial and customary standards and practices as defined at 42 U.S.C. §9601(35)(B). (See Appendix X1 for an outline of CERCLA's liability and defense provisions.) Controlled substances are not included within the scope of this standard. Persons conducting an environmental site assessment as part of an EPA Brownfields Assessment and Characterization Grant awarded under CERCLA 42 U.S.C. §9604(k)(2)(B) must include controlled substances as defined in the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. §802) within the scope of the assessment investigations to the extent directed in the terms and conditions of the specific grant or cooperative agreement. Additionally, an evaluation of business environmental risk (BER) associated with a parcel of commercial real estate may necessitate investigation beyond that identified in this practice (see 1.4 and Section 13).

1.1.1 Standard Practice Selection— The methodology included in this practice is an effective and practical process for achieving the objectives of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment of forestland or rural property when some of the methodologies of ASTM E1527 are deemed to be impractical or unnecessary due to the size or nature of the property. This practice is intended to provide a more practical approach to assess rural and forestland properties that are generally uniform in use. A primary consideration in applying this practice instead of E1527 is the nature and extent of the property being assessed, as the typical environmental concerns, sources for interviews and records, and the methodology used to perform the site reconnaissance may differ significantly. The property to be assessed using this standard practice need not be contiguous and may contain isolated areas of non-forestland and non-rural property. Site reconnaissance of isolated areas of the property that include activities outside the definition of forestland or rural property should be addressed using methodologies such as those provided in E1527, which may be conducted and reported in conjunction with this practice, as discussed in 4.5.3.

1.1.2 Recognized Environmental Conditions— The goal of the processes established by this practice is to identify recognized environmental conditions. The term recognized environmental condition means (1) the presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the subject property due to any release to the environment; (2) the likely presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the subject property due to a release or likely release to the environment; or (3) the presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at the subject property under conditions that pose a material threat of a future release to the environment. A de minimis condition is not a recognized environmental condition.

1.1.3 Related Standard Practices— This practice is closely related to Standard Practice E1527. Standard Practice E1527 is an environmental site assessment for commercial real estate (see 4.3).

1.1.4 Petroleum Products— Petroleum products are included within the scope of this practice because they are of concern with respect to many parcels of forestland or rural property and current custom and usage is to include an inquiry into the presence of petroleum products when conducting an environmental site assessment of forestland or rural property. Inclusion of petroleum products within the scope of this practice is not based upon the applicability, if any, of CERCLA to petroleum products.

1.1.5 CERCLA Requirements Other Than Appropriate Inquiries— This practice does not address whether requirements in addition to all appropriate inquiries have been met in order to qualify for the LLPs (for example, the duties specified in 42 U.S.C. §§9607(b)(3)(a) and (b) and cited in Appendix X1 including the continuing obligation not to impede the integrity and effectiveness of activity and use limitations (AULs), or the duty to take reasonable steps to prevent releases, or the duty to comply with legally required release reporting obligations).

1.1.6 Other Federal, State, and Local Environmental Laws— This practice does not address requirements of any state or local laws or of any federal laws other than the All Appropriate Inquiries provisions of the LLPs. Users are cautioned that federal, state, and local laws may impose environmental assessment obligations that are beyond the scope of this practice. Users should also be aware that there are likely to be other legal obligations with regard to hazardous substances or petroleum products discovered in, on, or at the subject property that are not addressed in this practice and that may pose risks of civil and/or criminal sanctions for non-compliance.3

1.1.7 Documentation— The scope of this practice includes research and reporting requirements that support the user's ability to qualify for the LLPs. As such, sufficient documentation of all sources, records, and resources utilized in conducting the inquiry required by this practice must be provided in the written report (refer to 8.1.9 and 12.2).

1.2 Objectives— Objectives guiding the development of this practice are (1) to synthesize and put in writing good commercial and customary practices for environmental site assessments for forestland or rural property; (2) to facilitate high quality, standardized environmental site assessments; (3) to provide a practical and reasonable standard practice for all appropriate inquiries; and (4)

4.1 Uses— This practice is intended for use on a voluntary basis by parties who wish to assess the environmental condition of forestland or rural property taking into account commonly known and reasonably ascertainable information. While use of this practice is intended to constitute all appropriate inquiries for purposes of the LLPs, it is not intended that its use be limited to that purpose. This practice is intended primarily as an approach to conducting an inquiry designed to identify recognized environmental conditions in connection with a subject property. No implication is intended that a person shall use this practice in order to be deemed to have conducted inquiry in a commercially prudent or reasonable manner in any particular transaction. Nevertheless, this practice is intended to reflect good commercial and customary practice. (See 1.5.)

4.2 Clarifications on Use:

  • 4.2.1 Use Not Limited to CERCLA— This practice is designed to assist the user in developing information about the environmental condition of a subject property and as such, has utility for a wide range of persons, including those who may have no actual or potential CERCLA liability and/or may not be seeking the LLPs.
  • 4.2.2 Residential Occupants/Lessees/Purchasers and Others— No implication is intended that it is currently customary practice for residential occupants/lessees of multifamily residential buildings, occupants/lessees of single-family homes or other residential real estate, or purchasers of dwellings for one's own residential use, to conduct an environmental site assessment in connection with these transactions. Thus, these transactions are not included in the term forestland or rural property transactions, and it is not intended to imply that such persons are obligated to conduct an environmental site assessment in connection with these transactions for purposes of all appropriate inquiries or for any other purpose.
  • 4.2.3 Site-specific— This practice is site-specific in that it relates to the assessment of environmental conditions for a subject property comprising forestland or rural property. Consequently, this practice does not address many additional issues raised in transactions such as purchases of business entities or interests therein, or of their assets, that may well involve environmental liabilities pertaining to properties previously owned or operated or other off-site environmental liabilities.

4.3 Related Standard Practice— This practice sets forth one procedure for an environmental site assessment known as a “Phase I Environmental Site Assessment for Forestland or Rural Property,” “Phase I Environmental Site Assessment,” a “Phase I ESA,” or simply a “Phase I.” This practice is separate from and is applicable to different types of property than Practice E1527 as further described in 4.3.1. These practices are each intended to meet the standard of all appropriate inquiries necessary to qualify for the LLPs. It is essential to consider that these practices, taken together, provide for two alternative practices of all appropriate inquiries for forestland or rural property.

  • 4.3.1 Election to Commence with This Practice— The user may commence inquiry to identify recognized environmental conditions in connection with a subject property by performing this practice when conditions identified in 1.1 are met. A primary consideration in applying this practice instead of E1527 is the nature and extent of the subject property being assessed, as the typical environmental concerns, sources for interviews and records, and the methodology used to perform the site reconnaissance may differ significantly. The subject property need not be contiguous and may contain isolated areas of non-forestland and non-rural property. This practice is intended to provide a more practical approach to assess rural property and forestland properties that are generally uniform in use.
  • 4.3.2 Who May Conduct— Whenever a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is conducted, it must be conducted by an environmental professional, as defined in Appendix X2 (and 40 C.F.R. 312.10(b)), to the extent specified in 7.5.1. Further, at the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment level, no practical standard can be designed to eliminate the role of judgment and the value and need for experience in the party performing the inquiry. The professional judgment of an environmental professional is, consequently, vital to conducting all appropriate inquiries at the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment level.

4.4 Additional Services— As set forth in 12.10, additional services may be contracted for between the user and the environmental professional. Such additional services may include BER issues not included within the scope of this practice, examples of which are identified in Section 13 under Non-Scope Considerations.

4.5 Principles— The following principles are an integral part of this practice and are intended to be referred to in resolving any ambiguity or exercising such discretion as is accorded the user or environmental professional in conducting an environmental site assessment or in judging whether a user or environmental professional has conducted all appropriate inquiry or has otherwise conducted an adequate environmental site assessment.

  • 4.5.1 Uncertainty Not Eliminated— No environmental site assessment can wholly eliminate uncertainty regarding the potential for recognized environmental conditions in connection with a subject property. Performance of this practice is intended to reduce, but not eliminate, uncertainty regarding the potential for recognized environmental conditions in connection with a subject property, and this practice recognizes reasonable limits of time and cost.
  • 4.5.2 Not Exhaustive— All appropriate inquiries does not mean an exhaustive assessment of a property. There is a point at which the cost of information obtained or the time required to gather it outweighs the usefulness of the information and, in fact, may be a material detriment to the orderly completion of transactions. One of the purposes of this practice is to identify a balance between the competing goals of limiting the costs and time demands inherent in conducting an environmental site assessment and the reduction of uncertainty about unknown conditions resulting from additional information.
  • 4.5.3 Level of Inquiry Is Variable— Not every property will warrant the same level of assessment. Consistent with good commercial or customary standards and practices as defined at 42 U.S.C. § 9601(35)(B), the appropriate level of environmental site assessment will be guided by the type of property subject to assessment, the expertise and risk tolerance of the user, future intended uses of the subject property disclosed to the environmental professional, and the information developed in the course of the inquiry. This practice is no less stringent than Practice E1527; however, the means by which this practice intends to satisfy that level of all appropriate inquiries within reasonable time and cost constraints are different than under Practice
SDO ASTM: ASTM International
Document Number E2247
Publication Date Nov. 1, 2023
Language en - English
Page Count 60
Revision Level 23
Supercedes
Committee E50.02
Loading...

Failed to load document history.

Publish Date Document Id Type View