Business as Usual: ERI Delivers Service Consistency During the COVID-19 Pandemic
It has been “business as usual” at ERI throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Although ERI’s motto has always been “collaboration under one roof,” we began developing the IT and communications infrastructure to enable our staff to effectively serve our clients remotely over 15 years ago.
COVID-19 and Phase I Limitations
COVID-19 has affected our world in so many ways, including how environmental assessments are completed. The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) process, as described in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E 1527 Standard Practice for Phase I ESAs, involves the collection of historical, regulatory and property information from various sources that may include visits to state regulatory agencies, municipal offices, and/or libraries.
SBA SOP Changes – Effective January 1, 2018
Effective January 1, 2018, the Small Business Administration (SBA) updated the Standard Operating Procedures SOP 50 10 5 (J) for Lender and Development Loan Programs. In addition to changes incorporated in ERI’s Records Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA) and desktop...
Underground Storage Tanks: Regulations, Requirements and Expectations
UST Regulatory History In 1984, Congress directed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop regulations for Underground Storage Tanks (UST) containing petroleum. The EPA issued federal regulations, effective December 1988, that delegated UST...
RSRAs and TSAs – The Similarities and Differences
Depending on the potential risk profile of a commercial property, Environmental Risk Managers realize that a Phase I Environmental Assessment (ESA) may not be necessary for all commercial properties targeted for commercial loans. In these cases, environmental risk...
Dry Cleaning Alternatives – How “Green” is Green?
The use of chemical agents for cleaning clothes dates back to the 1690s, when turpentine was used to remove oil and grease spots from clothing. In the 1800s, mechanical cleaning machines were introduced that used turpentine, camphor oil, kerosene naphtha or white...
Considering Lending on a Dry Cleaner?
Perchloroethylene (PCE), a chlorinated solvent, has been used in the dry-cleaning industry since the 1930s. A small amount of this “likely human carcinogen” released to the subsurface can impact soil and groundwater, and migration of vapors associated with a release...
SBA Gas Station Loans
In order to identify and mitigate the environmental risks associated with gas station loans, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has developed guidelines that loan applicants must follow during the application process. The SBA requires that the Environmental...
Activity and Use Limitations
In many instances, exposure to soil, groundwater contamination and vapor on a commercial property can be limited by federal and state regulatory bodies through “Activity and Use Limitations” or AULs. Information regarding AULs is typically contained in the...
Requirements for SBA Lending
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Standard Operating Procedures, SOP 50 10 5(H), requires environmental assessments on all commercial properties offered as security for a loan. The level of environmental due diligence required is dependent on the...