In November of 2021, Integrity Investment Funds (IIF), RFO Holdings, LLC, contacted A3 Environmental (A3E) to perform a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) at an industrial property located in Rantoul, Illinois (Subject Property). IIF indicated the property was to go to auction in the Spring of 2022 and A3E set out to ensure that the Subject Property was properly evaluated for any environmental conditions prior to sale.
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
A3E Project Geologist, Andy Geleske, immediately began work by reviewing all available historical, federal, and state documentation regarding the Subject Property. It was identified that the Subject Property was historically used for agricultural purposes from at least 1940 to 1976 until sometime between 1976 and 1983, when development began at the property. By 1993, the Subject Property was fully developed into its current configuration with a large industrial building, a railroad spur, two retention ponds, and a large asphalt paved parking lot.
It was identified that the primary user of this industrial facility was a plastics manufacturer which generated large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals. The facility had a robust history of violations associated with the generation of these hazardous materials. Furthermore, the Subject Property was identified several times in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) database for spill incidents in which diesel fuel, waste oil, and hydraulic oil were spilled. While the spills were cleaned up, it was evident during A3E’s database review, the facility had a history of mishandling the materials they used on site.
On November 19, 2021, A3E Environmental Scientist, Nikki Axtolis, performed a site visit at the property as a part of the Phase I ESA. While on site, Nikki observed several alarming conditions. Evidence of spills from above ground storage tanks (ASTs), totes, barrels, and drums which were utilized to store hazardous materials were observed throughout the building. The portion of the Subject Property building that was utilized as an oil recovery room was particularly concerning, as there were current pools of petroleum-based liquids throughout the room. Drums, totes, and barrels storing unknown materials in various states of deterioration which displayed evidence of leaking were also observed in the oil recovery room.
A3E went on to evaluate the adjoining properties for any environmental conditions and identified that both the south and east adjoining properties were listed in the leaking underground storage tank (LUST) database. These database entries indicated that both of the east and south adjoining properties experienced releases from heating oil USTs which were utilized at the properties. To this date, the south adjoining property has not yet received regulatory closure regarding this release. While the east adjoining property received regulatory closure, A3E identified that it was before the regulatory agencies required the evaluation of the vapor intrusion pathways. Therefore, A3E identified that both of the east and south adjoining properties represent a risk based on their immediate proximity to the Subject Property.
The Phase I ESA report was submitted to IIF on December 8, 2021, and A3E recommended that investigation regarding the environmental conditions at the site was warranted.
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
On February 1st 2022, A3E Project Manager Thomas Bouleanu was contacted by IIF who requested a proposal which would evaluate the environmental conditions previously identified at the Subject Property. IIF reported to A3E that they retained the services of another contractor who cleaned up the pools of liquid previously identified at the Subject Property. However, A3E communicated to IIF that cleaning up the spills was only one part of the process and that the subsurface soil, groundwater, as well as soil gas conditions would still need to be evaluated.
A3E Project Manger Thomas Bouleanu created a proposal which included the advancement of up to ten (10) soil borings, five (5) temporary monitoring wells, three (3) soil gas points, and two (2) sediment samples. The sampling plan called for, in total, up to twenty-two (22) soil samples, five (5) groundwater samples, and three (3) soil gas samples which are to be tested for various analytes. The proposed sampling locations are identified in the figure below:
Rantoul
The sampling locations were placed in order to identify the environmental conditions both in the interior and exterior portions of the Subject Property. Through this sampling plan, A3E is determined to evaluate not only the
environmental conditions identified at the Subject Property, but the threat of the LUST releases to the Subject Property from the east and south adjoining properties as well.
This project is currently in progress and is slated to be completed by early March of 2022.
Client:
Property Auctioneer
Location:
Services:
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
Key Staff:
Patrick Hook– Professional Geologist, Final Review
Nikki Axtolis – Environmental Scientist
Thomas Bouleanu – Project Manager GIT
Andy Geleske – Project Geologist
Duration:
2021 – 2022
Value:
Estimated $33,000
