As with any product or service, there are things a Phase I can do and can’t do. The typical report will contain two to three pages of all the things that the Phase I can’t do. The language is all standard and rarely varies much between firms and between reports:
* The report includes information from third parties. We can’t be held liable if that information is wrong.
* The maps in the report shouldn’t be used for surveying or property development planning.
* We’re doing the best we can. The information in the report is pretty much the same as you’d find by any other firm, all things being equal.
* The firm isn’t doing work beyond the scope of a normal Phase I, including an assessment of asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint, radon, mold, etc.

While the list goes on and on, there are still things you need to know that may not be spelled out. Let’s dig into some things you may need to know before hiring an Environmental Professional.

The first thing to notice is that the Phase I is only one part of complying with US EPA regulations. To fully comply with the AAI standard you need to perform a search for recorded environmental cleanup liens. This is often not done by the environmental firm