A Phase II environmental site assessment uses sampling or other field investigation to evaluate defined suspected environmental conditions.
Definition
A civil engineering firm may scope a Phase II environmental site assessment after a Phase I identifies a recognized environmental condition or another basis raises a specific question. The work can include soil, groundwater, or soil gas sampling, laboratory analysis, and other field investigation. The sampling plan should connect locations, methods, and analytical parameters to the questions being evaluated. Findings apply to the sampled places and conditions, and the report should explain limits such as access, coverage, and methods. Firms calculate fees differently depending on the number and depth of samples, field access, laboratory work, health and safety requirements, and reporting needs. A Phase II is not a comprehensive survey of every part of a site, a guarantee that contamination is absent, or a cleanup plan unless that work is separately included. Results may inform further assessment, remediation planning, or project decisions, subject to professional interpretation and applicable regulatory requirements. The EPA provides information on environmental programs and regulations.
How owners use it
- Tie sampling locations and analytical methods to specific questions in the scope and work plan.
- Clarify whether laboratory analysis, access coordination, disposal, and follow-up reporting are included in the fee.
- A $20,000 investigation fee minus $6,000 for laboratory and field subcontractors leaves $14,000 before other project costs.
- Use results to explain what the sampled locations show and what remains outside the investigation's scope.
