After a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is completed and the results have been audited, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (otherwise known as a Phase II ESA) is conducted in order to measure the levels of contamination that are found at the actual site. This assessment is also conducted to find a structured definition of the costs of current conditions as well as the possible costs and expenses that will be associated with any potential cleanup projects that may be required in the future. In most cases, the Environmental Site Assessment Phase II is used as a baseline study that is designed to confirm levels of contaminant background that occur before a specific facility is built or even purchased.
Understanding the Scope of Work
The scope of work that is established for any particular ESA is going to be customized specifically for the installation type and the vast majority of probable types of materials and chemicals that could possibly become a major concern. There are several different types of investigations that can become warranted based on the findings that are discovered during the Phase II ESA including soil vapor studies, soil sampling, and a progressive monitoring of well installation along with a sampling of the ground water.
A Brief Overview of the Investigations
A soil vapor study will allow the organization to determine a cost-effective method that will allow them to map out a horizontal distribution of their supply of volatile petroleum along with chemical vapors within waters and subsurface soils. These studies are specifically designed to explore the refinement process of petroleum as well as the efficiency of their storage and distribution facilities. During the average soil vapor study, a grid of samples within the same area of interest is collected and analyzed for methane, chlorinated solvents and a wide variety of other compounds. The horizontal extent of contamination within the ground water of a particular area can also be mapped through this stage of investigations, sampling for a wide range of these compounds as well just to make sure that there is nothing of any major concern that should be analyzed even further.
The Final Report
Once the Phase II Environmental Site Assessment has been completed along with any corresponding investigations that may also become necessary, a final interpretative report is then processed and filed. The results of these findings can easily be used for future planning purposes in order to define any new pollutants that may become a problem in the future.
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