Phase I Environmental Site Assessment

Virginia Environmental Professionals, LLC (VEP) completed an Environmental Evaluation of a property located in Kilmarnock, Virginia. The subject property was formerly part of a marina fueling facility that had several releases of petroleum that had impacted soil and groundwater on the property. The marina property was later subdivided into residential waterfront lots. A potential purchaser requested that a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) be completed to assure there was no contamination below a lot. Prior to completion of the $9,000 Phase II ESA, VEP reviewed available files and recommended a detailed file review and Environmental Evaluation of the lot prior to completion of drilling and soil and groundwater sampling. The seller authorized VEPs estimate for the file review of $700.
The evaluation was completed and included the following tasks:
•    Review historical aerial photographs for the subject property and adjoining Kilmarnock parcels.
•    Obtain and evaluate Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Lancaster County, VA files for adjoining and vicinity parcels.
•    Summarize the information obtained and evaluate the risk of contamination on the subject property.
The results of VEPs evaluation is summarized below:
1.    Historical aerial photographs indicate that only the western portion of the property and along the waterfront was used as a boat salvage yard. Petroleum fuel may have dripped or been spilled from the salvage boats, but this would typically be in very small quantities and would be isolated and at sporadic locations. The remainder of the property is shown as relatively clean grassed land with only minor storage of operational boats, which would not be expected to have drips or spills of fuel. The marina and boats were removed from the western and waterfront portion of the property in 2013 and the land was graded. Photos show large piles of clean sand fill on the adjoining property, which was likely spread across the property. This process of removing the salvage boats and restoring the land would remove, move, and mix any potential drips or spills from the boats with clean soil, thus reducing the concentration of any petroleum drips and spills that may have been present on the property from the salvaged boats.
2.    Topography on the subject property slopes radially off the high points towards the drainage swale and waterfront.  Storm water on subject property flows along the surface and into the drainage swale, which discharges to a creek on the western property boundary. Any previous spills or leaks from the marina or boat salvage would flow away from the subject property and towards the waterfront or drainage swale. Groundwater flow mimics topography and due to the very shallow groundwater elevation and observation of standing water in the drainage swale, the drainage swale acts as a groundwater discharge boundary, and shallow groundwater would not cross the drainage swale nor flow beyond it towards the subject property.
3.    Previous investigations, testing, and remediation of the adjoining marina’s petroleum releases have been addressed to the satisfaction of the VA DEQ, and no further action required letters were issued for both marinas. The releases were not located in the immediate vicinity of the subject property and the extent of groundwater contamination was defined to be on the current marina properties.  Low concentrations of heavy range petroleum, identified as diesel fuel or oil, were detected in a soil sample collected at 0-4 feet below ground and collected near the fill pipes of former above ground petroleum tanks on the adjoining property to the south. This sample location is not located on and is topographically downgradient of the subject property. Any spills or drips near the former fill pipes would not be expected to travel upgradient on to the subject property. In addition, the owner of a property is not responsible nor liable from releases originating from off-site properties.
4.    In addition, natural attenuation process actively work to remediate small and low concentrations of petroleum in soil through dilution, dispersion, volatilization, adsorption, and biodegradation. Periodic and nutrient rich tidal flushing, oxygenated rainfall infiltration, very shallow groundwater levels, and sandy porous surface soil would also serve to actively reduce any potential petroleum in soil over the years since the marina and boats were present.
Based on the information reviewed and discussed above, it is unlikely that petroleum contamination exists on the subject property. It is our professional opinion that the subject property is suitable for construction of a residential home and there is no apparent risk to future residents.
Based on VEPs recommendation and subsequent evaluation, the buyer and their lenders were satisfied with our evaluation results, the property transaction was completed, and the seller saved $8,300 on their due diligence cost.
VEP will always represent the business needs of our clients and will continue to work to keep Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment costs low, while retaining the high quality that buyers, lenders, and attorneys expect from an environmental consultant. 😊