Standard Guide for Identifying and Complying With Continuing Obligations

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Uses—This guide is intended for use on a voluntary basis primarily by parties who desire to satisfy continuing obligations at commercial real estate or at forestland or rural properties. As such, this guide provides information and suggested procedures that could be useful to persons who wish to assert a defense to CERCLA liability and to establish one of the LLPs. This guide may apply where response actions have already occurred, where response actions remain ongoing, or where response actions may be necessary in the future. As noted in 1.1.6, however, the use of this guide need not be necessarily limited to CERCLA LLPs.
Clarifications on Use:
Use is Property-Specific—Continuing obligations, and the process to identify and implement continuing obligations, is necessarily property-specific. Therefore, this guide includes information to consider when performing a property-specific, fact-based evaluation to determine appropriate continuing obligations.
Partially Addresses Eligibility for CERCLA LLPs—Users wishing to establish CERCLA LLPs should be aware that the continuing obligations covered by this guide comprise only part of CERCLA's statutory eligibility requirements for LLPs. For example, users seeking to qualify for LLPs must perform AAI before property acquisition. Users seeking the BFPP or CPO LLP must also demonstrate that they are not liable or potentially liable or affiliated with any person who is liable or potentially liable for releases of hazardous substances under CERCLA. 42 U.S.C. §9607(q)(1)(A)(ii); 42 U.S.C. §9601(40)(H). Further, users seeking the BFPP LLP must establish that disposal of hazardous substances occurred on the property prior to its acquisition. 42 U.S.C. §9601(40)(A). Users seeking the CPO LLP must establish that they did not cause, contribute or consent to the release of hazardous substances. 42 U.S.C. §9607(a)(A)(i). Finally, users seeking to qualify for the ILO LLP must establish that a third party was the sole cause of th...
SCOPE
1.1 Purpose—The purpose of this guide is to provide information and guidance related to the process of identifying and fulfilling continuing obligations at commercial real estate, and forestland and rural property, with respect to hazardous substances within the scope of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) (42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.) as well as petroleum products (collectively hereafter chemicals of concern). As such, this guide’s primary purpose is to provide information and guidance about procedures that, if completed, would help users to satisfy continuing obligations applicable to the innocent landowner, the contiguous property owner (CPO), and the bona fide prospective purchaser (BFPP) protections from CERCLA liability (hereinafter, collectively referred to as the “Landowner Liability Protections,” or “LLPs”) (see Legal Appendix X1.1 to X1.3 for an outline of CERCLA's liability and defense provisions).
1.1.1 Continuing Obligations—Subsequent to property acquisition, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 (the “Brownfields Amendments”), which amended CERCLA, requires persons (a broad term meant to cover individuals, companies, government agencies, and other entities) seeking to maintain LLPs to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, fulfillment of certain continuing obligations. The continuing obligations set forth in the Brownfields Amendments include: (1) complying with any land use restrictions established or relied upon in connection with a response action at a property; (2) not impeding the effectiveness or integrity of any institutional controls employed at a property in connection with a response action; (3) taking reasonable steps with respect to releases of hazardous substances, including stopping continuing releases, preventing threatened future releases, and preventing or limiting human, environmental or natural ...

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Publication Date
14-May-2011
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ASTM E2790-11 - Standard Guide for Identifying and Complying With Continuing Obligations
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E2790 − 11
Standard Guide for
1
Identifying and Complying With Continuing Obligations
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2790; 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 prior releases of hazardous substances;(4) providing full
cooperation, assistance and access to persons who are autho-
1.1 Purpose—The purpose of this guide is to provide
2 rized to conduct response actions or natural resource restora-
information and guidance related to the process of identifying
3 tionata property;(5)complyingwithinformationrequestsand
andfulfilling continuing obligations at commercial real estate,
administrative subpoenas; and (6) providing legally required
and forestland and rural property, with respect to hazardous
notices with respect to releases of any hazardous substances at
substances within the scope of the Comprehensive Environ-
4
a property.
mental Response, Compensation and LiabilityAct (CERCLA)
1.1.2 Certain Continuing Obligations Not Detailed in this
(42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.) as well as petroleum products
Guide—The procedures recommended in this guide focus on
(collectively hereafter chemicals of concern). As such, this
continuing obligations pertaining to land use restrictions,
guide’s primary purpose is to provide information and guid-
institutional controls, and taking reasonable steps. As noted
ance about procedures that, if completed, would help users to
immediately above, CERCLA lists other continuing obliga-
satisfy continuing obligations applicable to the innocent
tions such as those related to legally required notices, allowing
landowner, the contiguous property owner (CPO), and the
access, and cooperating with government regulators. These
bona fide prospective purchaser (BFPP) protections from
“other” continuing obligations are not further discussed in this
CERCLAliability (hereinafter, collectively referred to as the “
guide. The lack of detailed treatment of these other continuing
Landowner Liability Protections,” or “LLPs”) (see Legal
obligations, however, does not intend to suggest that they are
Appendix X1.1 to X1.3 for an outline of CERCLA’s liability
less important or less relevant to maintaining LLPs. The user
and defense provisions).
seeking additional information will find background on these
1.1.1 Continuing Obligations—Subsequent to property
other continuing obligations in Legal Appendix X1.8 to this
acquisition, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brown-
guide.
fields Revitalization Act of 2002 (the “Brownfields
1.1.3 Guide Does Not Provide Legal Advice—As noted
Amendments”), which amended CERCLA, requires persons (a
above, this guide primarily intends to provide information and
broadtermmeanttocoverindividuals,companies,government
guidance to users who wish to perform continuing obligations
agencies, and other entities) seeking to maintain LLPs to
for the purpose of maintaining CERCLA LLPs. To serve this
establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, fulfillment of
purpose, this guide focuses on technical, scientific, and proce-
certain continuing obligations. The continuing obligations set
dural issues involved with identifying and performing appro-
forth in the Brownfields Amendments include: (1) complying
priate continuing obligationsundersite-specificcircumstances.
with any land use restrictions established or relied upon in
In order to explain the context for the various continuing
connection with a response action at a property;(2) not
obligations recommended in this guide, however, the guide
impeding the effectiveness or integrity of any institutional
necessarily makes reference to the statutory provisions of
controls employed at a property in connection with a response
CERCLA. These CERCLAdiscussions are meant for informa-
action;(3) taking reasonable steps with respect to releases of
tional purposes only and are not intended and should not be
hazardous substances, including stopping continuing releases,
construed as legal opinions or conclusions of law; nor should
preventing threatened future releases, and preventing or limit-
any statement in this guide be relied upon as legal advice
ing human, environmental or natural resource exposure to
concerning CERCLA or any legal matter. The CERCLA LLPs
involve complicated legal matters with potentially severe
1
ThisguideisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeE50onEnvironmental consequences. This guide is not intended to and does not
Assessment, Risk Management and CorrectiveAction and is the direct responsibil-
ity of Subcommittee E50.02 on Real Estate Assessment and Management.
Current
...

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