Services Types of Services Site Assessments Phase II - Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs)Site Assessments
A Phase II ESA is an assessment to gather physical information on the soil, groundwater and/or surface water conditions at a site. This process usually involves obtaining and reviewing relevant state or client documentation, preparing a site specific health and safety plan, contacting the utility locating agencies, procurement of drilling, laboratory, field equipment and other subcontracted services. Field work is then performed and typically includes advancing soil borings and test probes, installing monitoring wells, collecting test data from soil and water samples for laboratory analysis, and mapping sample locations.
Multiple Phase II ESAs (GSA)
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)
Montana, Utah, South Dakota
dse performed eight Phase II ESAs on multiple sites located in the mountain states. These sites were being considered for either purchase or lease for construction of new federal buildings or for divestiture and required reports with a short turnaround. One site included seven parcels of closed EPA Brownfield Sites with former PCB contamination. Another was a former Navy FUDS site with six large buildings and a former DLA metals depository facility that required the collection and analysis of an extensive number of soil samples.
Phase II ESAs in Four Locations
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Albuquerque and Sheep Springs, New Mexico
Texarkana, Arkansas
Rocksprings, Texas
dse conducted Phase I ESAs modified to include Phase II ESA soil sampling and analysis at four sites located in Albuquerque and Sheep Springs, New Mexico, Texarkana, Arkansas, and Rocksprings, Texas for the FAA. Based on prior experience, the FAA determined that significant levels of hydrocarbon constituents, metals, and/or PCB contamination in the soil could have resulted from previous practices.
These Phase II ESAs included soil sampling and analysis. Samples were collected at various locations at each of the sites and analyzed for petroleum contamination, volatile and semi-volatile hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and characteristic hazardous waste metals. The sample analyses were conducted by a laboratory utilizing USEPA approved analytical methods.
dse developed an Quality Assurance Plan that provided the minimum requirements for the chemical analysis of the environmental samples for the project. The plan was designed to: (1) monitor the performance of the measurement systems to maintain statistical control and provide rapid feedback so that corrective measures could be taken before data quality was compromised and; (2) verify that reported data were sufficiently complete, comparable, representative, unbiased and precise so as to be suitable for the intended use.
Phase II ESA of a Known Contaminated Site
Texas A&M University System
Dallas, Texas
Since contamination was already known to exist on this site, the primary objective was to gather enough information so that the client could make a rough estimate of potential treatment and disposal costs with either minor resurfacing, or major construction. The practical concern was to determine the quantity of hydrocarbon affected soil that would require special handling, treatment and disposal should it be exposed in the course of construction. The client also desired limited additional sampling conducted to determine if chlorinated solvents had migrated onto the site from an off-site source and what additional data would be necessary to form the basis for an innocent owner/operator certificate application for the site.
Phase II ESA of Former Automotive Repair Facility
Cleveland Partners, LLC
Dallas, Texas
This site consisted of a 0.66 acre tract of commercially developed land. The purpose of the assessment was to supplement a Phase I ESA with the collection and analysis of groundwater and soil samples. dse gauged and sampled two monitoring wells and sampled shallow soils in four areas of possible impact identified in the Phase I ESA where former equipment and a drainage swale were located. dse reviewed state, city and previous contractor’s documents to validate previous findings. These documents also stated that an UST was previously installed at the site, which could have been another possible contamination source.