Florida’s shallow, fluctuating water table presents challenges found in few other states. Across industrial corridors from Tampa to Orlando to Jacksonville, groundwater commonly sits within a few feet of the surface, meaning that spills, leaking underground storage tanks, and process-area releases quickly transition from soil contaminants to dissolved-phase groundwater contamination. That rapid coupling between soil […]
Read MoreRemoving popcorn ceilings, pulling up floor tile, tearing out drywall, replacing roofing, or upgrading HVAC systems can release asbestos fibers from materials that have sat undisturbed for decades. Asbestos exposure is linked to mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis, diseases with latency periods of 15 to 40 years. Property owners cannot determine whether asbestos is present […]
Read MoreASTM E1527-21 is the current national standard for conducting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. EPA finalized the rule adopting it in December 2022; the rule took effect February 13, 2023, giving property professionals a one-year window to transition before the prior standard, E1527-13, was retired on February 13, 2024. Since that date, any Phase […]
Read MoreClosing an underground storage tank in Florida is not simply a construction or demolition task. Underground storage tank systems in Florida are regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and every permanent closure must be documented and evaluated to protect soil and groundwater across the state. Florida’s UST regulations were established in 1983 and […]
Read MoreDemolition work, whether mechanical, implosion, or hand demolition, inevitably disturbs most building components, including walls, ceilings, roofing, mechanical systems, and concealed spaces. An asbestos survey is required before demolition because many of these components in older commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential buildings may contain hazardous materials that are invisible to the naked eye. Asbestos was […]
Read MoreA Phase I environmental site assessment is a non-intrusive investigation that evaluates potential environmental contamination at a subject property before a purchase, refinance, or redevelopment. Phase I Environmental Site Assessments typically include records review and site inspection, and they are required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), often called the liability […]
Read MoreA Phase I environmental site assessment is one of the first steps in commercial real estate transactions across Florida and the United States. Whether you are purchasing a warehouse in Jacksonville, refinancing a retail center in Miami, or redeveloping a former industrial parcel in Tampa, the environmental site assessment process is how buyers, lenders, and […]
Read MoreA Phase I environmental site assessment is a standard step in commercial real estate transactions, refinancing, and redevelopment projects. It serves as a nonintrusive review of environmental conditions at a subject property and adjoining parcels, relying on historical records, regulatory databases, interviews, and a site inspection. A Phase I ESA identifies potential environmental contamination liabilities […]
Read MoreDouble-wall fuel tanks are commonly used at hospitals, marinas, data centers, fleet facilities, municipal properties, and commercial sites because they provide an added layer of environmental protection against fuel releases. However, while the secondary containment helps reduce the risk of fuel reaching soil or groundwater, it does not prevent water accumulation, microbial growth, sediment buildup, […]
Read MoreFlorida properties often face environmental issues such as petroleum releases, mold, asbestos in older buildings, groundwater contamination, and soil impacts from past industrial or commercial use. Sites like auto shops, multifamily buildings, and warehouses with underground storage tanks are common examples that may require investigation. In most cases, contamination lowers property value at first due […]
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