Every civil engineer at some time or another needs to move soil offsite. The question is always where to move it and what does it cost. One of our specialties at A3 Environmental Consultants is performing soil management projects. You may, however, want to do them yourself. In the spirit of collaboration, I give you
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
Wetlands are vital components of the natural landscape, providing important ecosystem services such as water filtration, flood control, and habitat for a diverse array of plants and animals. In Illinois, wetland resources are protected under state and federal regulations, including the Illinois Wetland Protection Act and the Clean Water Act. These regulations require that wetlands
- Published in Environmental Consulting, Environmental Due Diligence
An environmental site assessment (ESA) is a critical step in the process of buying a commercial property. It involves identifying, reviewing, and analyzing any potential environmental concerns or risks associated with the property. By conducting an ESA, you can make informed decisions about whether to purchase the property and, if so, what actions may be
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
An environmental lien is a legal claim against a property for damages or other environmental harm caused by the owner or previous owner of the property. Environmental liens can be placed on a property by a government agency, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or by a private party who has suffered damages as
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) is ranked 201 in Fortune Magazine’s 500 largest US Businesses. Headquartered in Glenview Illinois, ITW is a manufacturer of thousands of different items from Zip Ties to Hobart Mixers. In the course of doing business, ITW was interested in purchasing the former Chase Brass & Copper building which also formerly held
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
Weston Solutions is an engineering and environmental consulting company located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Serving the Chicago Metropolitan area out of Lincolnshire, Illinois, Weston Solutions partnered with A3 Environmental Consultants on various projects for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) A3E was subcontracted by Weston Solutions to perform a Preliminary Site
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
From the first time we held a ball we knew. The Crayons, Speak & Spell, the Slinky are all toys that could be played with in solitude. …But the ball. The ball is no fun alone. You throw the ball, you need someone to catch the ball. That someone needs to throw it back. And
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
In the State of Michigan, the state legislature created a process to accommodate the continued use of contaminated property called the Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA). Table Of Contents What Problem was Michigan Trying to Solve with the BEA? How Does a Baseline Environmental Assessment Work? Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
If you’re interested in wetland surveys, there’s a good chance you either own or are thinking of purchasing vacant land. You’re hoping to build on the land and you want to make sure you have enough room to do so without disturbing the wetland. You might want to know what happens if you do end
- Published in Environmental Consulting
If you’re interested in wetland delineations, there’s a good chance you either own or are thinking of purchasing vacant land. You’re hoping to build on the land and you want to make sure you have enough room to do so without disturbing the wetland. You might want to know what happens if you do end
- Published in Environmental Consulting
I wanted to take a beat from our normal marketing messaging to talk about entrepreneurship in general and my experience as a woman-owned business. I believe there are many members of ACEC who have contemplated starting their own consulting business and might be interested in the story. In addition; I’d like to be a resource for
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
The Sangamo Electric Dump/Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (the Refuge) is located five miles west of Marion in Williamson County, Illinois. The Refuge includes about 43,500 acres of land. The area is a wildlife refuge and is also in use for recreation, agriculture, and industrial purposes. Prior to and during World War II, the U.S.
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Due Diligence
About A3 Environmental Consultants A3 Environmental, LLC (A3E) is a full-service, woman-owned, small business specializing in providing quality environmental services. Our clients include private entities, federal, state, and local government organizations. We perform due diligence, site assessments, and remediation across the United States. We are nimble. We offer turnkey solutions to the environmental concerns encountered
- Published in Team Training
A client with 65 years history providing heavy construction equipment rental from 109 facilities located across all 50 states contacted A3 Environmental Consultants seeking help with their purchase of a 24 acre industrial site. They had historic a Phase I ESA and a Phase II ESA showing contamination on the site indicative of heavy automotive
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third largest school district in the United States and is entrusted with educating the children of Chicago Illinois. With a total of 658 schools servicing over 400,000 students, CPS aims to provide a safe, healthy learning environment for its students and staff. In order to maintain such an environment
Architects are interested in designing beautiful buildings. Engineers are interested in making sure the architect’s beautiful buildings will remain standing. Contractors execute the plants created by the architects and engineers. So far, I haven’t told you anything new. Bear with me, we’re just getting started. Table Of Contents Environmental Due Diligence Developing Contaminated Property Soil
- Published in Environmental Remediation
Busey Bank is headquartered in Champaign Illinois and has lending operations across the midwest and Florida. With a history dating back to 1868, Busey Bank currently has 1400 employees serving 47 locations and is a major business lender in their three state footprint. Due Diligence Figures A3E CADD Services provides due diligence figure packages for
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
Our friends in the engineering industry sometimes ask us; “What’s the worst kind of environmental contamination to find at a project site”? There’s a lot of different types of contamination that can affect the soil, groundwater, and air. We come across petroleum, dry-cleaning, and heavy metals frequently in our line of work. But if I’m
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
A Chicagoland environmental company performed a Phase I ESA as part of a refinancing program for an apartment complex in Chicago Illinois. In the process they identified two underground storage tanks (UST) which were used to serve fuel oil to the HVAC system in years past. A3E works hard to have friendly relationships with fellow
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
In 2017 Wendler Engineering Services contacted A3 Environmental Consultants requesting to have their Site Remediation Project (SRP) site closed out so they could sell the property. The site was located in downtown DeKalb, Illinois and was the former location of Sawyer Auto Service Center. They had purchased it during the real estate market crash in
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
In 2019 A3 Environmental Consultants won their first of two consecutive bids for routine groundwater sampling at the Thornton Quarry, in Thornton Illinois for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). The MWRD is responsible for all the water runoff and storm sewer outflow for their management area. They built an enormous public
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Project Profiles
Oxford Bank & Trust refinanced a large strip mall in Mundelein Illinois for a closely held real estate company. During the Phase I ESA a dry cleaning facility which was still an active tenant at the strip mall was suspected to have leaked chlorinated solvents, including tetrachloroethylene or PCE. A Phase II ESA was performed
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Project Profiles
CBRE is a worldwide real estate services company headquartered in Dallas Texas with satellite offices in Oakbrook Illinois. CBRE is in the business of property management, sales and due diligence for property transactions. As such they employ many professionals who work hard to illuminate risks being taking by buyers and sellers of commercial real estate.
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Consulting
A3 Environmental Consultants received a phone call from a landlord and current owner of a warehouse industrial facility. He was very interested in marketing the property for sale and was hamstrung by a Phase I ESA he had purchased where the consultant had identified two Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC) he personally disagreed with. A3E performed
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
A steel fabrication business that has been in business for over 100 years contracted A3 Environmental Consultants to perform a Phase I ESA on a vacant steel fabrication plant that the business was looking to acquire located in Hammond Indiana. The findings of the Phase I ESA warranted a Phase II ESA on the property. Phase I ESA The vacant site had a long history of
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Project Profiles
Essential Utilities is a utility company that has stakes in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana and Virginia The company provides drinking water and wastewater treatment infrastructure and services. Aqua America is Essential Utilities water services arm. Aqua America called A3E OES which is a joint venture between A3 Environmental Consultants and
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Due Diligence
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
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Due Diligence
A3E CADD Services provide complete figure sets for all clients requiring UST removal and excavation sampling. When we identify tanks in the ground that have been damaged or forgotten, action needs to be taken the ensure the safety of the public for the generations to come. Part of this process is to convey to the
- Published in Environmental Remediation, Project Profiles
Public utility provider(s) in Northern Illinois rely on A3 Environmental Consultants to manage their Underground Storage Tank (UST) removal and closures. In addition, A3E provides UST Compliance Audits to keep our clients on the right side of the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Our clients work hard to avoid regulatory compliance issues involved
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Consulting
In 2018, A3 Environmental Consultants was contracted to review a Phase I ESA which was completed twenty years earlier. The Phase I ESA identified the property as a former gas station. At the time of the Phase I ESA, several soil borings were advanced to determine if the former gas station adversely impacted the property.
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
Public utility provider(s) in Northern Illinois rely on A3 Environmental Consultants (A3E) to track waste streams, both hazardous and non-hazardous in their systems. A3E performs sample collection and analytical data reviews to determine the correct method for disposal of the material, which includes incineration, grouting in place, or final disposal at a Subtitle D landfill.
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Consulting, Environmental Remediation
Public utility provider(s) in Northern Illinois rely on A3 Environmental Consultants to track waste streams, both hazardous and non- hazardous in their systems. A3E performs sample collection, analytical data reviews to determine the correct method for disposal of the material which includes incineration, grouting in place or final disposal at a Subtitle D landfill. The
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Consulting
Chaffee Housing Trust is a non-profit low income housing developer in Colorado. They called A3E to provide a Phase I ESA and all the details to be compliant with the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements for Environmental Justice. Known as 24 CFR Part 58 these environmental review procedures are part of the grant process
- Published in Project Profiles, Environmental Consulting, Environmental Due Diligence
Hancock Engineering contacted A3 Environmental Consultants for four Preliminary Environmental Site Assessment (PESA) for a sewer improvement project in the City of Maywood, Illinois. Maywood was interested in starting sewer repair and replacement across several corridors of land and needed a PESA to protect worker health and safety as well as for soil management planning
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
If you’re interested in the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) issues of Illinois, you should start by reading the following. Leaking Underground Tanks: How Big of a Problem Is It? I’m going to start by wrecking the surprise, I have no idea if the problem with the LUST fund has anything to do with the
- Published in Environmental Remediation
City of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) builds and renovates playgrounds, athletic fields, facilities, parking lots and ADA compliance every year. By way of these facility improvement projects, CPS contracts with a host of subcontractors such as construction companies and engineering firms to dispose of soils generated during excavation on the projects. The City of Chicago,
- Published in Project Profiles
If you’re interested in the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) issues of Illinois, you should start by reading the following. Leaking Underground Tanks: How Big of a Problem Is It? I’m in business development for a small but growing environmental consulting company. A3 Environmental Consultants is located in Lisle, Illinois. We’ve been in business for
- Published in Environmental Remediation
If you’re interested in the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) issues of Illinois, you should start by reading the following. Leaking Underground Tanks: How Big of a Problem Is It? This episode is about the funding of the LUST Trust Fund or LUST insurance fund if you prefer. I know everyone hates reading budgets and
- Published in Environmental Remediation
This post is a continuing examination of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program. In it, I seek to answer the question; “If IEPA is concerned about open LUST incidents, why do 38 year old open LUST incidents exist?” If you didn’t come here with any context, you should start
- Published in Environmental Remediation
In a former bus repair facility and former Bowman Dairy our client was looking to relocate his decorative stone business. A3E was contracted by the W. R. Weiss Company to perform a Phase I ESA prior to their acquisition. A3E performed the assessment in conformance with the scope and limitations of The American Society for
- Published in Project Profiles
I’ve been thinking about collecting what I’ve learned about the Illinois Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) incidents through the eyes of business development. I have a fresh set of eyes. I’ve never called on LUST projects before and I’m learning new things every day. Bad Juju I’ve only heard bad things about the LUST program
- Published in Environmental Remediation
In October 2017, A3E was contracted to remove a 1,000-gallon fuel oil UST from an apartment building in Evanston, IL. A release was identified and reported to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. 20-Day/45-Day Reports A3E submitted the required 20-day and 45-day Reports to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Early action activities included the removal
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
In 2020, A3E was contracted to complete a Phase I ESA on a vacated auto repair facility and restaurant in the City of Chicago. A3E performed the assessment in conformance with the scope and limitations of The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
There are currently over five thousand open incidents recorded in the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) database. These open incidents reflect Illinois as being in the three worst states in the union for known leaking tanks. There are many reasons for this as I will explain in a moment, but
- Published in Environmental Remediation
Touchmark National Bank is a Small Business Administration (SBA) lender and, notably a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) lender. A3 Environmental Consultants was contracted to perform a USDA Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) for the city of Charlotte Amalie, on the Island of St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands. The USDA
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
World Business Lenders is a New York based small business lender with over 100 employees. With a motto “We Lend. You Grow” A3 Environmental Consultants has been a partner to their lending operations for three years. We received a special request from our lending partner to perform a RUSH Phase I ESA on an industrial
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence, Project Profiles
You’ve received a letter from us telling you your facility is in the “Red Tag” database at the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). You may be on this list for several reasons. The most common are because you have a tank that failed its tank tightness test. Other popular reasons to be in
- Published in Environmental Remediation
The average cost of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is about $1900 depending on who you call and how involved the site is. That’s what A3 Environmental Consultants charge for most projects. But there’s a lot more to it, so stick with me if you’re interested in learning more. What kind of property is
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
According to the governing body that decides what the standards are for Phase 1 Environmental Surveys, a Phase 1 ESA is good for 6 months. You can see the American Society of Materials and Testing (ASTM) standard here. The reasons we typically get these questions are as follows. You need to refinance a loan. The
- Published in Environmental Due Diligence
This is designed as self-training for new employees and a reminder for current employees as to how to use the phone system. By this point, you should have been told what your extension is and have set a password. If not, you need to connect with the me (Tim) person to accomplish that task. Bookmark
- Published in Team Training