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Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Phase I > Phase I > Flashcards

Phase I Flashcards

1
Q

What is an Environmental Site Assessment?

A

A study of past and present activities on a site.

Meant to determine the contamination of a site, and the impact on the environment if it spreads.

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2
Q

What are the reasons to perform an ESA (4)

A
  1. Land Purchase
  2. Refinancing (re-modeling)
  3. Change in business
  4. chemical spill
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3
Q

Why is due diligence important to ESA

A

In ESA, it is the evaluation of a property and its history to determine the likelihood of environmental degradation and asses potential liability for contamination present at the site

it helps parties decide whether to buy a property, a fair market price, who will bear liability for remediation, and defenses to limit liability.

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4
Q

What is Strict Liability

A

No need to prove negligence
-the polluter pays

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5
Q

What is the CCME

A

The Canadian councils of ministers of the Environment

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6
Q

What is the CCME’s purpose with regard to the ESA?

A

set standards on chemicals in the environment to reduce risks to the environment.

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7
Q

What land classifications are identified in the Teir 1 approach for contaminated soils?

A
  1. Agricultural
  2. Residential
  3. Commercial
  4. Industrial
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8
Q

What does CEQG stand for?

A

Canadian environmental quality guidlines

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9
Q

How can the CEQG be used in site assessments?

A

groundwater quality guidelines

soil quality guidelines

used to determine if the contaminant values are over the guideline limits

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10
Q

What is a receptor? 2 examples

A

a living organism that can be vulnerable to harm from a contamination source.

ex. humans, fish

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11
Q

what does the term “pathways” refer to regarding ESA? 3 examples

A

ways a contaminant can travel or spread.

ex. air, water, soil

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12
Q

what government department must be contacted first when a chemical spill has been identified on a parcel of land?

A

Service NL = Government Service Center (GSC)

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13
Q

How many steps does the Federal Government have in its approach to ESA?

A

10

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14
Q

What is the name of the provincial document that environmental consultants have to follow when working with contaminated sites?

A

NL Impacted Site Management System

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15
Q

what occurs in step 1 of the NL Impacted Site Management System

A

Notifying the correct authority and investigating the person responsible (PR)

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16
Q

what occurs in step 2 of the NL Impacted Site Management System

A

ESA

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17
Q

what occurs in step 3 of the NL Impacted Site Management System

A

remediation

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18
Q

what occurs in step 4 of the NL Impacted Site Management System

A

closure

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19
Q

when determining remediation plans you take the ____ concentration and implement the _______ remedial plan

A

take the lowest concentration and highest remedial plan

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20
Q

ESA phase 1 uses

A
  1. financial
  2. baseline study
  3. regulatory
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21
Q

When was lead banned

A

1977?

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22
Q

paints before 1997 included (2)?

A

lead and sometimes mercury

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23
Q

what are CFC’s

A

chlorofluroCarbons

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24
Q

What do you expect CFC’s to be in?

A

refigerants

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25
When were CFC's banned?
1987
26
how do you find land size?
municipal assessment agency - Parcel ID - Frontage
27
What are hazardous materials to look for during a ESA?
1. CFC's 2. Lead 3. Asbestos containing materials (ACM) 4. Urea foam formaldehyde insulation (UFFI) 5. Polychlorinated biphenyl's (PCB's)
28
what hazardous materials contain lead?
paint and batteries
29
What hazardous materials are of concern with emergency lighting?
cadnium
30
Radon is associated with what types of rock?
Granite, shale, dirty quartz sandstone
31
what are examples of asbestos-containing materials?
- floor tiles - ceiling tile - paneling - cement external building panel - textured ceilings - pipe insulation
32
when was asbestos-containing materials banned? when did asbestos-containing material stop circulating?
banned in 1980 stopped circulating in 1985
33
when was Urea foam formaldehyde insulation (UFFI) in circulation?
1977 - 1980
34
Urea foam formaldehyde insulation (UFFI) is
cancer-causing
35
when were Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) banned?
1977
36
PCB's are
highly cancerogenic
37
where do you expect to find PCB's
hydraulic equipment elevators ballasts found in lights transformers
38
who do you interview in an ESA? (4)
- current and past property owners - managers and long term employees - occupants and neighbours - government officials
39
what are the questions you'd ask in an interview?
- past and present operations - waste handling practices - storage tanks - past environmental emergencies
40
due diligence is an evaluation of _____ and its ______
due diligence is an evaluation of property and its history
41
The role of an environmental consultant?
Provide professional competence to resolve all technical issues in the site management process Advise the person responsible of any necessary interim remedial action to mitigate immediate threats to human health or the environment Advise the Province when, in his/her opinion, the person responsible fails to act in a manner necessary to mitigate an immediate threat to the safety or health of the public; Provide a completed Record of Site Condition upon completion of the work specified in the Site Management Process to the Department on behalf of the client. Ensure the appropriate level of characterization and contaminant delineation is achieved.
42
what is NCSRP?
National Contaminated Sites Remediation Program
43
who develops classifying contaminates sites (by teirs)?
NCSRP
44
which is the simplest tier cleanup?
tier 1 look on CCME site
45
Canadian Standards Association(CSA) - __ steps
6
46
CCME Developed __ Phased Approach to ESAs
4
47
what occurs in each phase of the CCME's ESAs
Phase 1: Site Information Assessment Phase 2: Reconnaissance Testing Program (ex drilling multiple wells to determine how far a contaminant spilled) Phase 3: Detailed Testing Program Phase 4: closing/final report and Remedial Action Plan (RAP)
48
Why a Phased Approach is used?
Money Time Consistency save money, save time,
49
(CSA) a phase 1 site assessment is
ID potential sources of environmental impact Non-intrusive At this point conclusions are based on suspicion 3 components – Records review, site maps – Site visit with/without interviews – Reporting component
50
3 components of a phase 1 site assessment
– Records review, site maps – Site visit with/without interviews – Reporting component
51
where can you find records regarding a site (5)
NL services (gov) library fire department registree of deeds churches
52
fire department must know
of any UST at a site
53
(CSA) a phase 2 site assessment is
-take samples -used to confirm presence of suspected contamination – Physical- soil, bedrock, topographically, vegetation, direction of ground and surface water flow – Potential pathways/receptors and their linkages – Will determine type of contaminant, location, concentration and general sense of migration – At end of phase 2 problem should be defined
54
what do you need to know about soil?
-slope/grade -type (fine vs course) -fractured bedrock
55
how many phases of an ESA does the federal government have?
10
56
how many phases of an ESA does the CCME have?
4
57
how many phases of an ESA does the CSA have?
6
58
(CSA) a phase 3 site assessment is
Detailed delineation (plume) of the site Usually done in complicated site with complex geology, multi contaminants (ex. pulp and paper mill, commercial buildings with UST) Where extra clean-up may be warranted Determine level of natural attenuation (breakdown) Fill in the blanks left by the phase 2
59
Risk-based approach vs criteria-based approach
risk - human health or animal health -based is putting up fences and securing the site. criteria - guidelines/standards -based approach is numbers, guidelines, and regulations
60
what does natural attenuation mean?
natural breakdown
61
what are brownfields
contaminated sites not for sale
62
(CSA) a phase 4, 5, & 6 site assessment is
Clean-up/Remediation/Risk Assessment
63
FederalProvincial Approach to ESA
Step 1 - Identify Suspect Sites Step 2 - Historical Review Step 3 - Initial Testing Program Step 4 - Classify Contaminated Site using the CCME National Classification System Step 5 - Detailed Testing Program Step 6 - Reclassify the Site using CCME National Classification System Step 7 - Develop Remediation / Risk Management Strategy Step 8 - Implement Remediation / Risk Management Strategy Step 9 - Confirmatory Sampling and Final Reporting Step 10 - Long-Term Monitoring
64
Why Perform Site Assessments?
Money-clean-up costs, fines Contaminated sites a major societal problem.
65
In Canada, >______ spills/year
In Canada, >40,000 spills/year
66
In Canada, up to _______ underground fuel tanks leaking
In Canada, up to 20,000 underground fuel tanks leaking
67
MOST COMMON CONTAMINATION and its major concern
FUEL OIL LEAKAGE - groundwater and drinking water contamination
68
ESA ADVANTAGES
– Reduce risk & liability – Reduced legal actions – Less regulatory activity – Better public image – Potential cost savings
69
ESA DISADVANTAGES
– Cost – Potential increased liability – Potential ammunition for regulators – Increased public scrutiny/awareness
70
CSA
Canadian Standards Association
71
Canadian Standards Association
is a not-for-profit Standards organization with the stated aim of developing standards establishes the principles and practices that are applicable to a Phase I ESA. It is intended to provide a consistent framework and minimum requirements for conducting Phase I ESA
72
where to find past court matters
Canadian legal institute
73
provincial ESA phase 1 includes
Step 1: Site History Research Reconstruct history of ownership & use of property. Identify underground tanks, old WDS site maps are mandatory STEP 2: SITE VISIT
74
how to determine Present and past owners of property
- ask them -neighbors - NL Services - Fire Department - Health care - Church - Risk management services in NS -> insurance data - cities planning department
75
MANDATORY RECORDS REVIEW
Aerial photographs- historical land use Property use records Title Search- chronology of ownership Previous ESA reports Company records – site plans, surveys, audits, monitoring data, WHMIS inventory. Etc. Geological/Geotechnical reports Insurance data-Risk Management Services in NS Regulatory information-Compliance agreements, prosecutions, etc
76
Records Review
Fulfill objectives by (Addressing Current/past) – property uses/occupancies – Use of hazardous substances – Waste mgmt/disposal practices – Actions to address past on-going releases – Addressed reliability of information
77
VISUAL INSPECTION - General Observations
– Current uses of property ( hazardous material) – Details of hazardous or unidentified materials – Conditions of storage areas/bins – chemicals – Unusual odors – Housekeeping practices (ex. storage of chemicals)
78
things to record when inspecting Storage Tanks
Age, size, contents, location, date installed/removed, staining indications of location (active, abandoned, previous remediation)
79
VISUAL INSPECTION Interior Observations
– Type of fuel used in heating/cooling systems – Stains on floors, walls or ceilings – Location and condition of floor drains/sumps – Interior finishes on buildings.
80
VISUAL INSPECTION Exterior Observations
– Exterior condition of building on property – Surface topographic/geological features. Groundwater/contaminant flow – Wells on site – dispose liquid waste, contaminated potable water. – Waste disposal practices (liquid & solid) – Pits and lagoons for waste treatment/disposal – Surface staining – Type/condition of vegetation – Unusual surface formations and areas of fill – adjacent property features that may influence contamination
81
VISUAL INSPECTION
Check building date -building plan – Site documents – Cornerstone Dry wells/storm sewers (used for other purposes) Past disposal of chemical/petroleum waste through drainage system Unusual odours/discoloratio
82
what does RBCA stand for?
risk based corrective action for ES of petroleum impacted sites
83
what is the purpose of RBCA?
to describe the minimum requirements for assessing petroleum-impacted sites in Atlantic Canada
84
what does PIRI stand for
the Atlantic partnership in risk-based corrective action implementation
85
what is PIRI and RBCA purpose in ESA?
provide criteria for determining cleanup actions

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Phase I (2 decks)

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