Environmental Consulting Services
Environmental Consulting Services
As an environmental consulting company, Bluepoint Environmental, LLC helps our clients solve their demanding environmental and human health issues. Our resources are combined to reflect the broad spectrum of technical and scientific disciplines that provide our clients with a responsive team of professionals capable of resolving their environmental issues. In this way, the Bluepoint Environmental. LLC team of professionals will respond to existing problems, seek to reduce future liabilities, and evaluate available avenues to improve environmental conditions. It's our unique ability to bring common sense and clarity to environmental solutions that allow our clients to benefit from our professional team. Continued below.
Environmental Quality Consulting, Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments, Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments, Environmental Site Investigations, Soil Testing, ground water testing, and more
Environmental Site Assessment Topics on this Page
- Environmental Site Assessments for Property Transfers
- Environmental Site Investigations & Spill Response Consulting
- Environmental Site Remediation
Environmental Site Assessments for Property Transfers
Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA's)
Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA's) have been used as a due diligence tool in real estate transactions for many years. The information gained by conducting ESA's should identify potential environmental issues with past/current site operations that may impact or have the likelihood to impact the environmental condition of a real estate parcel(s) before the property is purchased. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard ASTM E-1527-05 has been used as the definitive "template" as to how ESA's should be conducted and reported.
All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI)
The 2002 Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Act (usually referred to as just the "Brownfields Act") was added as an amendment to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or "Superfund" law to protect innocent purchasers, bona fide prospective purchasers and contiguous property owners from previously unknown environmental liability. As a response to this, the EPA was charged with developing a standard of practice that would include "All Appropriate Inquiry" (AAI) for a defense to superfund liability. The AAI standard broadened the existing scope of the ASTM standard to include additional file reviews, interviews with current and past occupants, identification of data gaps, sharing certain information and require a statement from the environmental professional regarding the thoroughness and reliability of the data gathered. The AAI standard further stipulates a definition of an "environmental professional" that conducts AAI-compliant ESA's regarding educational background and relevant experience. The new AAI standard became law on November 1, 2006 and must be met when conducting environmental due diligence if a property owner wishes to be defended from environmental liability under CERCLA.
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment/Investigation
Where Phase I ESAs are an investigation of existing, ascertainable data regarding a particular site, Phase II Environmental Site Assessments/Investigations include generating site-specific data by collecting samples, conducting on-site testing and recording observations in regard to site conditions. The data collected are used in the decision making process to collect additional data, evaluate remedial options or seek regulatory site closure. The data collected may also be used to identify contaminant source areas, potential off-site sources and contaminant transport mechanisms.
Environmental Site Investigations & Spill Response Consulting
Soils, Soil Testing
Soil investigations are conducted to determine the extend of impact at known spill sites, evaluate remedial methods at spill sites, evaluate the potential of migrating contaminants at parcels adjacent to spill sites, investigate soil types for engineering concerns and collect samples to document soil condition. The spatial relationship where soil borings are advanced, the depth of advancement and the soil types encountered all play a role in the evaluation of a soil investigation scope. Knowledge of the ways soil conditions can affect the overall project objectives is paramount to completing a successful and cost-effective project.
Ground Water
Because groundwater flows from location to location, and it flows through soil,
investigations of impacted groundwater must be conducted with the project goals in
mind before the first sample is collected. Soil intricacies, depositional environment
and soil disturbances caused by previous activities can sometimes impact groundwater
flow and the project outcome as much as a spill can. Data generated by the investigation
must be representative of the subsurface environment. Therefore the planning of the
project must be conducted thoroughly and the ability to change the plan when new data is collected should always be part of the project plan.
Many times, a costly remediation system/installation will be based on the data collected during the investigation phase. If the data are incorrect, or the data are insufficient, the remedial system/installation cannot succeed as designed.
Environmental Site Remediation
Site remediation can be conducted in countless ways depending on: the material to be
remediated; the soil type/condition; depth of the impacted soil; and the remedial goals
that must be achieved to meet the site regulatory closure criteria. Each site must be
evaluated separately with each of the variables in mind. Remedial techniques include
bio-remediation (both in situ and ex-situ; enhanced or natural) extraction (free-phase,
dissolved phase, vapor phase or all three), stabilization, excavation, reaction, etc.
Each remedial technique has advantages and disadvantages and will be evaluated for each
site based on project goals. Remediation may also be based on time frame, sensitive
receptors, or physical restraints at the site itself. Each of the site factors must
be evaluated before a cost-effective and efficient remedial program can be designed
that keeps the project goals in focus and meeting regulatory goals.
