ASTM E1903-11
(Practice)Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process
Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Uses:
This practice is intended for use on a voluntary basis by parties who wish to evaluate known releases or likely release areas identified by the user or Phase II Assessor, and/or to assess the presence or likely presence of substances, for legal or business reasons such as those described in 1.2.
This practice is intended to meet the business community's need for a written, practical reference describing a scientifically sound approach to investigating a property to evaluate the presence or likely presence of a substance. It is impossible to generalize about the contexts in which a user may wish to conduct such investigations or the degree of confidence a user may require in the results. In any context, this practice, being rooted in sound scientific methodology, can assist users in achieving an objective and defensible assessment.
This practice does not address the evaluation of business environmental risks in light of data collected through the Phase II ESA process. Such evaluation is a function of site- and transaction-specific variables, and of the user’s objectives and risk tolerance. This practice contemplates that the Phase II ESA process will be planned and conducted with such variables in mind, and that the user will evaluate legal, business and environmental risks in light of known data relating to the particular site and transaction, and in consultation with legal and business advisors as well as the Phase II Assessor.
Likewise, this practice does not define the threshold levels at which target analytes pose a concern of significance to the user. Users may apply this practice not only in light of applicable regulatory criteria and relevant liability principles, but also to meet self-defined objectives.
If a Phase II ESA conducted in accordance with this practice provides sufficient information from which the Phase II Assessor can conclude, consistent with the scientific method, that the question to be addressed by the assessment (see 6.4...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers a process for conducting a Phase II environmental site assessment (ESA) of a parcel of property with respect to the presence or the likely presence of substances including but not limited to those within the scope of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) (e.g., hazardous substances), pollutants, contaminants, petroleum and petroleum products, and controlled substances and constituents thereof. It specifies procedures based on the scientific method to characterize property conditions in an objective, representative, reproducible, and defensible manner. To promote clarity in defining Phase II ESA objectives and transparency in communicating and interpreting Phase II ESA results, this practice specifies adherence to requirements for documenting the scope of assessment and constraints on the conduct of the assessment process.
1.1.1 A user's interest in the presence or likely presence of substances in environmental media at a property may arise in a wide variety of legal, regulatory, and commercial contexts, and may involve diverse objectives including those listed in 1.2. This practice contemplates that the user and the Phase II Assessor will consult to define the scope and objectives of investigation in light of relevant factors, including without limitation the substances released or possibly released at the property, the nature of the concerns presented by their presence or likely presence, the portion of the property to be investigated, the information already available, the degree of confidence needed or desired in the results, the degree of investigatory sampling and chemical testing needed to achieve such confidence, and any applicable time and resource constraints. This practice requires that Phase II activities be conducted so that the resulting scope of work is performed, and the stated objectives are achieved, in a scientifically sound manner.
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Designation: E1903 − 11
Standard Practice for
Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental
1
Site Assessment Process
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1903; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope confidence needed or desired in the results, the degree of
2 investigatory sampling and chemical testing needed to achieve
1.1 Thispractice coversaprocessforconductingaPhaseII
such confidence, and any applicable time and resource con-
environmental site assessment (ESA) of a parcel of property
straints. This practice requires that Phase II activities be
with respect to the presence or the likely presence of sub-
conductedsothattheresultingscopeofworkisperformed,and
stances including but not limited to those within the scope of
the stated objectives are achieved, in a scientifically sound
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
manner.
and Liability Act (CERCLA) (e.g., hazardous substances),
1.1.2 A Phase II ESA in accordance with this practice may
pollutants, contaminants, petroleum and petroleum products,
follow site assessment activities in accordance with Practice
and controlled substances and constituents thereof. It specifies
E1527 for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I
procedures based on the scientific method to characterize
Environmental Site Assessment Process, Practice E2247 for
property conditions in an objective, representative,
Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site
reproducible, and defensible manner. To promote clarity in
Assessment for Forestland or Rural Property, EPA’s All
defining Phase II ESA objectives and transparency in commu-
Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) Rule, 40 C.F.R. Part 312, or
nicating and interpreting Phase II ESA results, this practice
Practice E1528 for Limited Environmental Due Diligence:
specifies adherence to requirements for documenting the scope
Transaction Screen Process. Users of this practice should have
of assessment and constraints on the conduct of the assessment
knowledge and understanding of Practice E1527 and the AAI
process.
Rule because a Phase II ESA may address a likely presence of
1.1.1 A user’s interest in the presence or likely presence of
hazardous substances or petroleum products identified in
substances in environmental media at a property may arise in
previous assessment reports as a recognized environmental
a wide variety of legal, regulatory, and commercial contexts,
condition(REC).IndefiningthescopeandpurposesofaPhase
and may involve diverse objectives including those listed in
II ESA, however, previous decisions to classify property
1.2. This practice contemplates that the user and the Phase II
conditionsorareasasRECs,ortorefrainfromdoingso,arenot
Assessor will consult to define the scope and objectives of
determinative as to whether investigation of the same condi-
investigation in light of relevant factors, including without
tions or areas is appropriate to meet the objectives of the Phase
limitation the substances released or possibly released at the
II ESA.
property,thenatureoftheconcernspresentedbytheirpresence
or likely presence, the portion of the property to be
1.2 Objectives—This practice is intended for use in any
investigated, the information already available, the degree of
situation in which a user desires to obtain sound, scientifically
valid data concerning actual property conditions, whether or
notsuchdatarelatetopropertyconditionspreviouslyidentified
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E50 on Environ-
as RECs or data gaps in Phase I ESAs. Without attempting to
mental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct
define all such situations, this practice contemplates that users
responsibility of Subcommittee E50.02 on Real Estate Assessment and Manage-
ment.
may seek such data to inform their evaluations, conclusions,
Current edition approved June 15, 2011. Published July 2011. Originally
and choices of action in connection with objectives that may
approved in 1997. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as E1903 – 97 (2002).
include, without limitation, one or more of the following:
DOI: 10.1520/E1903-11.
2
As used herein, a “standard” is a document that has been developed and
1.2.1 Objective 1—Assess whether there has been a release
established within the consensus principles of the Society and that meets the
of hazardous substances within the meaning of CERCLA, for
approval requirements of ASTM procedures and regulations. A “practice” is a
purposes including landowner liability protections (i.e., inno-
...
This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:E1903–97 (Reapproved 2002)
Standard Guide for Designation: E1903 – 11
Standard Practice for
Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental
1
Site Assessment Process
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1903; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1This guide
2
1.1 This practice covers a framework for employing good commercial and customary practices in conducting a Phase II
environmental site assessment (ESA) of a parcel of commercial property with respect to the potential presence of a range of
contaminants which are within the scope of CERCLA as well as petroleum products.
1.1.1This guide is intended to provide practical procedural guidance for the continuation of an assessment conducted in
accordance with the most recent edition of Practice E1527 or E1528, or both. Practice E1527 is the practice for conducting Phase
I ESAs for a parcel of commercial property and Practice E1528 is the transaction screen practice. Both practices define a process
that is intended to constitute “all appropriate inquiry into the previous ownership and uses of a property” to determine whether
hazardous substances or petroleum products have been disposed or released there in order to satisfy one element of the innocent
purchaser defense to CERCLA liability.
1.1.2Because this guide for conducting Phase II ESAs describes a process for further evaluating a parcel of commercial property
with recognized environmental conditions, as defined in Practices E1527 and E1528, users of this guide should understand the
requirements and limitations of those practices. It is strongly recommended that the user refer to and apply the guide in concert
with Practices E1527 and E1528covers a process for conducting a Phase II environmental site assessment (ESA) of a parcel of
property with respect to the presence or the likely presence of substances including but not limited to those within the scope of
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and LiabilityAct (CERCLA) (e.g., hazardous substances), pollutants,
contaminants, petroleum and petroleum products, and controlled substances and constituents thereof. It specifies procedures based
on the scientific method to characterize property conditions in an objective, representative, reproducible, and defensible manner.
To promote clarity in defining Phase II ESA objectives and transparency in communicating and interpreting Phase II ESA results,
this practice specifies adherence to requirements for documenting the scope of assessment and constraints on the conduct of the
assessment process.
1.1.1 Auser’s interest in the presence or likely presence of substances in environmental media at a property may arise in a wide
varietyoflegal,regulatory,andcommercialcontexts,andmayinvolvediverseobjectivesincludingthoselistedin1.2.Thispractice
contemplates that the user and the Phase II Assessor will consult to define the scope and objectives of investigation in light of
relevantfactors,includingwithoutlimitationthesubstancesreleasedorpossiblyreleasedattheproperty,thenatureoftheconcerns
presented by their presence or likely presence, the portion of the property to be investigated, the information already available, the
degree of confidence needed or desired in the results, the degree of investigatory sampling and chemical testing needed to achieve
such confidence, and any applicable time and resource constraints. This practice requires that Phase II activities be conducted so
that the resulting scope of work is performed, and the stated objectives are achieved, in a scientifically sound manner.
1
This guidepractice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E50 on EnvironmentalAssessment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee on Environmental
Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E50.02 on Commercial Real Estate Transactions.
Current edition approved Dec. 10, 1997. Published February 1998. DOI: 10.1520/E1903-97R02.on Real Estate Assessment and Management.
Current edition approved June 15, 2011. Published July 2011. Originally approved in 1997. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as E1903 – 97 (2002). DOI:
10.1520/E1903-11.
2
As used herein, a “Sstandard” is a document that has been developed and establi
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