Environmental Site Assessment in the Denver Area
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS & CHARACTERIZATION
Anders Environmental field studies integrate biological- and contaminant-based measures to provide a reality check of environmental quality. Our experts are highly regarded by regulators and stakeholders as a resource for collecting unbiased environmental samples and data to support decision-making processes related to hazardous waste site investigations, and other sites of concern.
Our Work Includes:
- Designing Sampling Plans
- Collecting Soil, Water, and Air Samples
- Developing mitigation alternatives
- Environmental Site Assessments
- State and Federal Regulatory Guidance
Why do I need a sampling and analysis plan?
A sampling plan is a blueprint for how a sampling event or program will be executed. It should provide all the detail needed to ensure that representative samples are collected, handled, analyzed, and reported in a manner that meets the needs and objectives of the sampler (e.g. property owner, regulator, third-party auditors). Implementing a clearly defined and consistently employed sampling protocol reduces the chance that the sampling process will be a source of error.
Sampling and Anaylsis Plans (SAP) are a critical part of environmental site characterizations. Anders Environmental has a network of scientists and engineers that specialize in creating focused sampling plans that don’t create the typical “science project” that property managers and developers dread. Contact us today to get started on your property characterization.
Environmental Site Assessment:
Environmental Site Assessments (ESA’s) are a direct response to the liability provisions of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). Liability requirements under CERCLA allow for recovery of clean-up costs from a responsible party regardless of the level of negligence. It is possible that any one of the responsible parties be considered liable for the entire clean-up cost regardless of their degree of involvement.
CERCLA further states that owners of property or those who acquire property may be held accountable for contamination found on their property whether they created it or not. Therefore, any entity that buys, sells, or leases real estate needs to pay particular attention to the condition of the property before a real estate transfer occurs.
The professionals at Anders Environmental can assist in any phase of the site assessment process. Our trained staff has experience with a full range of environmental constituants, allowing us to quickly execute any sampling and analysis plan.
40 Hour site management:
Who is covered by the OSHA 40 hr HAZWOPER standard?
The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) applies to five distinct groups of employers and their employees. This includes any employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous substances including hazardous waste and who are engaged in one of the following operations as specified by 1910.120(a)(1)(i-v) and 1926.65(a)(1)(i-v):
- Clean-up operations required by a governmental body, whether federal, state, local, or other involving hazardous substances — that are conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
- Corrective actions involving clean-up operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.);
- Voluntary clean-up operations at sites recognized by federal, state, local, or other governmental body as uncontrolled hazardous waste sites;
- Operations involving hazardous wastes that are conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regulated by Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 264 and 265 pursuant to RCRA, or by agencies under agreement with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement RCRA regulations; and
- Emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances regardless of the location of the hazard.
- State and Federal Regulatory Guidance
RCRA
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the “cradle-to-grave.” This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. RCRA also set forth a framework for the management of non-hazardous solid wastes. The 1986 amendments to RCRA enabled EPA to address environmental problems that could result from underground tanks storing petroleum and other hazardous substances.
HSWA
The Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments are the 1984 amendments to RCRA that focused on waste minimization and phasing out land disposal of hazardous waste as well as corrective action for releases. Some of the other mandates of this law include increased enforcement authority for EPA, more stringent hazardous waste management standards, and a comprehensive underground storage tank program.
TSCA
The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 provides EPA with authority to require reporting, record-keeping and testing requirements, and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures. Certain substances are generally excluded from TSCA, including, among others, food, drugs, cosmetics and pesticides. TSCA addresses the production, importation, use, and disposal of specific chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, radon and lead-based paint.
CERCLA
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, otherwise known as CERCLA or Superfund, provides a Federal “Superfund” to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Through CERCLA, EPA was given power to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup.
EPA cleans up orphan sites when potentially responsible parties cannot be identified or located, or when they fail to act. Through various enforcement tools, EPA obtains private party cleanup through orders, consent decrees, and other small party settlements. EPA also recovers costs from financially viable individuals and companies once a response action has been completed.
EPA is authorized to implement the Act in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Superfund site identification, monitoring, and response activities in states are coordinated through the state environmental protection or waste management agencies.
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986 reauthorized CERCLA to continue cleanup activities around the country. Several site-specific amendments, definitions clarifications, and technical requirements were added to the legislation, including additional enforcement authorities.
LINKS
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS PLAN GUIDANCE AND TEMPLATE
SUPERFUND: CERCLA OVERVIEW
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR HAZWOPER FAQS
EPA SUMMARY OF THE TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT
EPA SUMMARY OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT
