Tim Allen is in Business Development at A3 Environmental Consultants. He's relatively new to marketing scientific services but as an entrepreneur he's got some skills. He's working hard to get the word out about this amazing company with the talented team; A3E as it's called for short. Give us a call at (888) 405-1742 and let's talk Geology, Consulting, Entrepreneurship or Marketing.
How Long is a Phase 1 Environmental Survey Good For

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

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

CCDD Field Delineation

A3 Environmental Consultants is an environmental consultant providing Clean Construction Demolition Debris (CCDD) services which is a less expensive alternative for disposing of soil from construction projects. We wrote extensively about how to understand Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA)  regulations in this article: Understanding CCDD, A Guide for Regular People.  The following paragraphs are project

Buy Financial Assets

You own a commercial property that currently has, or previously has had a leaking underground storage tank (LUST). Something about your situation is changing. Maybe you’re selling it, maybe your refinancing or maybe you just got a “nastygram” from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) telling you you needed to address your open incident. You

New Release

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) shows that your property has a Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) with an open incident. The state is stepping up enforcement and A3 Environmental Consultants would like to help you close this problem out. Finding Your Leaking Underground Storage Tank in the IEPA Database. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Online

NAICS Code

This is for all A3 Environmental Consultants bid & quote partners who need to know our services and codes to complete government bids. SIC:  89990700 – Earth Science Services Not Elsewhere Classified  87489905 – Business Consulting Services Not Elsewhere Classified 87449904 – Environmental Remediation  49590302 – Environmental Cleanup Services 162934 – Environmental Reclamation 871120 –

New Release

You recently had a “New Release” for your Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) opened a database record on your incident. This happens when the Office of the State Fire Marshal calls in what’s known as a “release” of petroleum. Finding Your Leaking Underground Storage Tank in the IEPA

UST with Free Product Discovered

You received a letter from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) recently and from A3 Environmental Consultants regarding an open Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) issue associated with your property. IEPA is stepping up enforcement for issues like these. We’d like show you your database record and how to read it, then pitch possible solutions

IEPA LUST Database

It may come as a surprise, but you are listed on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) database as the responsible party for a tank that leaked. You received a letter from the IEPA or maybe from A3 Environmental Consultants and now you’d like to know what’s going on and

Recorder Documents

You may have received a letter from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) or from A3 Environmental Consultants saying “NFR Not Recorded”. It means you never recorded the “No Further Remediation” (NFR) letter for a leaking underground storage tank that was on your property in the past. Most people’s reaction is shock mixed with a

Soil Gas Investigation

Vapor Intrusion is the ability for volatile organic compounds to migrate from contamination in soil or groundwater through porous building foundations into areas of habitation, causing risks to health and human safety by inhalation of indoor air. A soil gas investigation is what an environmental consultant performs to confirm or deny the presence of the

Contract

In most companies you will find that nobody but upper management is allowed to sign a contract. We think that attitude is self defeating. Reading a contract is a skill that needs to be taught, learned and practiced or when it comes time to do it for real, you’ll be at a complete disadvantage. Our

Phase II Environmental Site Assessment

A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is the second step of investigation into whether a property has environmental contamination of some kind. A Phase II ESA reflects the suspicion of an environmental consultant that contamination exists based on a Phase I ESA. While completing the Phase II ESA, the consultant will confirm or exclude

Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment

A Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is the second step of investigation into whether a property has environmental contamination of some kind. A Phase 2 ESA reflects the suspicion of an environmental consultant that contamination exists based on a Phase 1 ESA. While completing the Phase 2 ESA, the consultant will confirm or exclude

Phase 2 Environmental survey

When clients ask “How Much Does a Phase 2 Environmental Survey Cost?” there is no other way to answer than to say “It depends”. I know that’s an unsatisfying answer but stick with me! We’ll get you a better answer by the end of this, I swear. But before we start, there’s some background information

Level Two Environmental

For many people, purchasing a commercial property is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It’s not surprising that most don’t know the terminology. There’s no such thing as a “Level Two Environmental Assessment”. It’s called a “Phase II Environmental Site Assessment”.  This post is dedicated to all the ways people get their terminology understandably wrong. It makes it

Preliminary Environmental Site Assessment

A Preliminary Environmental Site Assessment (PESA) is the exact same as a Phase 1 ESA only instead of the investigation being done on a particular commercial property, it’s performed on a corridor of Rights of Way (ROW). Essentially it’s a long and narrow Phase 1 ESA which seeks to find all the possible environmental impacts

Preliminary Site Investigation

A Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) is the exact same as a Phase 2 ESA only instead of the investigation being done on a particular commercial property, it’s performed inside a corridor of Rights of Way (ROW). Essentially it’s a long and narrow Phase 2 ESA which seeks to confirm or deny the existence of environmental

Record Search With Risk Assessment

A Record Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA) report is a faster, less expensive form of environmental due diligence which was developed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) for lending money on commercial properties. The SBA defined the scope of a RSRA in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) 50 10 7. Lenders wanted to lower the substantial

Phase 2 Environmental Inspection Cost

When clients ask “How Much Does a Phase 2 Environmental Inspection Cost?” there is no other way to answer than to say “It depends”. I know that’s an unsatisfying answer but stick with me! We’ll get you a better answer by the end of this, I swear. But before we start, there’s some background information

Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment Report

A Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is the second step of investigation into whether a property has environmental contamination of some kind. A Phase 2 ESA reflects the suspicion of an environmental consultant that contamination exists based on a Phase 1 ESA. While completing the Phase 2 ESA, the consultant will confirm or exclude

Environmentally Sensitive Industries

The following are a list of NAICS Codes for Environmentally Sensitive Industries. If you are looking to purchase commercial property and need to get environmental due diligence done for the loan, you cannot use a Record Search With Risk Assessment (RSRA) if the current or past use of the property is on this list. 211

Site Assessment Checklist

Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Checklist for Freelance Environmental Consultants. Download.

Buy Financial Assets

A Transaction Screen Assessment (TSA) is a form of environmental due diligence which is less comprehensive than a Phase 1 ESA but more comprehensive than a Record Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA). Because it holds a middle ground, there are cost advantages in doing one. However, there are drawbacks too. Keep reading and learn why

How Long is a Phase 1 Environmental Survey Good For

According to the governing body that decides what the standards are for Phase I Environmental Surveys, a Phase I ESA is good for 6 months. You can see the American Society of Materials and Testing (ASTM) standard here. There are ways around having to pay for a full Phase I Environmental Survey though. The reasons

Environmetnal Vocabulary

For many people, purchasing a commercial property is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It’s not surprising that most don’t know the terminology. There’s no such thing as a “Level One Environmental”. It’s called a “Phase I Environmental Site Assessment”.  This post is dedicated to all the ways people get their terminology understandably wrong. It makes it difficult

Environmental Study

The organization that established guidelines for the Phase I Environmental Study is the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). They aren’t guidelines so much as they are a standard way of conducting a Phase I ESA. In much the same way as accounting has Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and manufacturing has the International

RSRA Record Search Radius Report

RSRA is the abbreviation for Record Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA). It was developed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a less expensive form of environmental due diligence when applying for SBA backed commercial loans. With a price-point of less than half the cost of a Phase I ESA, these environmental reports lowered the

Phase 1 Environmental

The average cost of a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment varies depending on who you call and how involved the site is. That’s what we here at 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

Environmental Consulting

Here at A3 Environmental Consultants, we’ve found the general public doesn’t know much about what we do and has more than a few preconceived notions. This post is about some of the the things we’ve come across which people frequently didn’t know. Environmental Consulting: Once soil is contaminated, there’s no cleaning it. No matter what

Phase I Environmental Report Example

Welcome, 1099 contractors! At A3E we like to make industry friends so we’re giving you some environmental report examples for your review. It was 5 short years ago that A3 Environmental Consultants was started by our fearless boss lady, Alisa Allen. Her initial goal was to be an Freelance Environmental Consultant to her friends in

Environmental Investigation

You are asking an unintentionally difficult question. In order to answer it we need to know what “Environmental Investigation” you are talking about. If you’re looking for environmental investigation of products like cell phones, you’re in the wrong spot. If you’re talking about commercial real estate, soil or groundwater environmental investigation, read on… Environmental Screen

Phase I ESA

We’ve learned a few things in the environmental consulting business. We’d like to share them with you. Table Of Contents Who Pays For The Phase I ESA? How Long Is A Phase I ESA Good For? How Much Does A Phase I ESA Cost? How Long Will A Phase I ESA Take To Complete? Does

Phase II Environmental site assessment cost

When clients ask “How Much Does a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Cost?” there is no other way to answer than to say “It depends”. I know that’s an unsatisfying answer but stick with me! We’ll get you a better answer by the end of this, I swear. But before we start, there’s some background

How Much Does a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment Cost

When clients ask “How Much Does a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment Cost?” there is no other way to answer than to say “It depends”. I know that’s an unsatisfying answer but stick with me! We’ll get you a better answer by the end of this, I swear. But before we start, there’s some background

Environmental Record Search

When people ask about an Environmental Record Search, they typically can only mean one of a few things. In the environmental consulting industry we use database vendors for our environmental records search. While this function could, in theory, be done without wholesale environmental database reports, it would be much more difficult to do. It’s also

Environmental Site Assessment

A Phase I ESA is mainly used to prevent the accidental purchase of a contaminated or otherwise environmentally compromised commercial property at a price that doesn’t take into account the environmental risk or impact. The strategies for purchasing a Phase I ESA depend on which party you are to the transaction. There are generally three

Phase 1 ESA Strategy

When commercial properties are bought and sold it’s frequently done by someone who is new to the process. Chances are high that you are a first time buyer or seller. So once a contract is signed, or better yet, before a contract is signed, the question comes up, “ Who pays for the Phase I

Buy Financial Assets not Environmental Liabilities

I like GIFs because they tell a story with moving pictures that would take many paragraphs if I were to write it out. People don’t read unless they have to. A picture is worth a thousand words. A3 Environmental Consultants is lucky enough to have a graphic artist freelancer who is reasonably priced and exceptionally

Environmental Report Example

Welcome, 1099 contractors! At A3E we like to make industry friends so we’re giving you some environmental report examples for your review. It was 5 short years ago that A3 Environmental Consultants was started by our fearless boss lady, Alisa Allen. Her initial goal was to be an Freelance Environmental Consultant to her friends in

A3E At the Kane County Cougars Game, Batavia Illinois

I’ve been a lifelong entrepreneur. I have a keen perspective on starting, and (trying to) grow a company. I’ve started (+/-) 5 companies and in all my time, A3 Environmental Consultants is by far the best team I’ve ever been on. I’m proud to be working with the smartest, most dedicated and hardest working people

Environmental Data Resources

Commercial Real Estate (CRE) professionals call us looking for environmental advice all the time. We’re happy to be your trusted environmental resource and are on-call to answer questions and help with strategy. We can’t do our jobs without environmental data resources of our own. Some of these are environmental databases of known contamination which we

SBA RSRA Template

If you are here looking for a SBA RSRA template download, you can only be an environmental consultant or freelance environmental consultant who is looking to do one of these reports for the first time. Fear not, they are pretty easy and your pals here at A3 Environmental Consultants are here to help. First, let’s

SRP Program Nightmares: When CRE Projects Go Bad

Commercial Real Estate developers are notoriously impatient. The following story is about a Site Remediation Program (SRP) nightmare we are currently working through. Buying a Contaminated Property in Chicago, Illinois We were contacted by a commercial real estate developer who had purchased a former plating facility in a great location to build their next development.

8 Tips To Buy Phase 1 ESAs Like a Hero

We’ve learned a few things in the environmental consulting business. We’d like to share them with you. Table Of Contents Who Pays For The Phase 1 ESA? How Long Is A Phase 1 ESA Good For? How Much Does A Phase 1 ESA Cost? How Long Will A Phase 1 ESA Take To Complete? Does

SBA Environmental Flow Chart (RSRA)

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has very specific environmental due diligence procedures which can be confusing. To sort it all out for you, A3 Environmental Consulting built this infographic SBA Environmental flow chart. Depending on the type of loan you are applying for and the use of the property you are buying, you can determine

SBA Environmental Questionnaire Form

The elusive SBA Environmental Questionnaire Form. Your first question is why is it so hard to find? It would be awfully nice if the Small Business Administration provided this in an easy format. They don’t. But not to worry, we’re going to cover it every way possible here. SBA Environmental Questionnaire, what is it and

First Search Environmental database

Before you spend a fortune on Environmental Due Diligence, First Search an Environmental Database to see what you are getting into. Working at A3E Consultants for as long as I have, I have come to realize that not every problem needs the most expensive solution to solve it. You can take a more nuanced approach.

Freelance Environmental Consultants

There would be very few environmental consulting companies that could operate with a nationwide footprint if it weren’t for freelance environmental consultants. If those companies did exist, they would be enormous and every expensive. It’s almost impossible to staff the entire country with offices and consultants. Having a network of resources you can call helps

Buy Financial Assets

A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is the second step of investigation into whether a property has environmental contamination of some kind. A Phase II ESA reflects the suspicion of an environmental consultant that contamination exists based on a Phase I ESA. While completing the Phase II ESA, the consultant will confirm or exclude