The New ASTM E1527-21 Standard for Phase I ESA has been released!

 

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee on Environmental Assessment, Risk Management and Corrective Action (ASTM Committee E-50) releases the new standard for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs).

The new standard (E1527-21) was published on November 1^st, 2021 and will be the fifth revision of the environmental professional industry standard. The changes make significant modifications to the previous ASTM Phase I Standard Practice (E1527-13).

The ASTM standard rules the practice and process for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments as part of compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) requirement prior to a property transaction to qualify for exemption from Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) liability for cleanup costs.

Some of the changes in the new standard (E1527-21) include:

• New Definition of “Recognized Environmental Condition” (REC)
• Definition of the Term Likely
• Consistent Use of the Term “Subject Property”
• Shelf Life of an E1527-21 Phase I Report
• Government Databases
• Definition of Historical RECs (HREC)
• Significant Data Gap
• A New Type of REC
• Emerging Contaminants and more

The new standard is currently under revision by EPA. Until the final release and approval is accepted by EPA, RSB environmental will continue to perform Phase I ESA under the E1527-13 standard that will continue to be recognized by the EPA as “All Appropriate Inquiries” (AAI) compliant and will continue to be the recommended standard to be used to achieve Superfund (CERCLA) liability protection.