The gold standard comes from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Think of it like GAAP for accounting or ISO for manufacturing—ASTM sets the playbook so every Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is done the same way, every time. That means no surprises for you, and confidence for banks, investors, and anyone else relying on the report.
The Latest Standard
We follow ASTM E1527-21, the most current and recognized Phase I Environmental Study standard.
What’s “AAI”?
AAI—short for All Appropriate Inquiries—is the EPA’s official process for checking a property’s environmental health and liability risks. If you want federal liability protection under CERCLA as an Innocent Landowner, Contiguous Property Owner, or Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser, your Phase I ESA must meet AAI standards. Ours always do.
Environmental Study
Does the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate Phase 1 Environmental Reports?
No. The Phase 1 ESA was developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to establish technical standards for services, materials, products and systems. They have no role in requiring or enforcing compliance with its standards, however they may become mandatory when referenced by external contracts, corporations or governments.
In general these reports are designed for private industry. Governments and agencies do purchase or reference Phase 1 ESAs but they don’t regulate the standards. We get asked by clients all the time for a “Phase 1 EPA”. In reality, there’s no such thing as a Phase 1 EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) , it’s a Phase 1 ESA (Environmental Site Assessment).
Are there any other names for the Environmental Study?
There are a ton of them and quite a few are nonsense words. If you’re buying these reports and shopping around you can’t go wrong by saying “Phase 1 ESA” or “Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment”. But the following words are what we hear all the time which are varying degrees of nonsense:
- Level 1 Environmental Study – There is no level 1.
- Phase 1 Audit – It’s not really an audit.
- Phase 1 Environmental Testing – We don’t test at Phase 1. That happens in Phase 2.
- Phase 1 Survey – While we do use surveys in the Phase 1 ESA, the report itself is not a Phase 1 Survey.
As long as we are at it, it’s technically a “Phase I Environmental Site Assessment”. The “1” is really a roman numeral but very few people outside the environmental industry know that or use it. In fact we work had to be found even if you are searching “Phase One”, “Phase 1”, or “Phase I”. Luckily, Google understands you and reroutes your searches to (hopefully) us.
If you need a Environmental Study on your property or one you are interested in purchasing, give A3 Environmental Consultants a call. We’ll work to get your Environmental REC removed with the utmost in confidentiality, we’ll meet or exceed ASTM Standard E1527-21 on any sort of commercial or industrial property. Our reports meet the requirements of all lenders and government agencies such as the Small Business Administration (SBA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A3 Environmental Consultants can be reached at (888) 405-1742 or by email at Info@A3E.com.
