August 28, 2012 | grain size, moisture, Proctor, Soil testing
Soil is the ultimate product of the breakdown of rock through chemical and physical processes. In the Piedmont region, many areas contain a fairly thick layer of soil residuum that overlies bedrock. This critical resource provides a medium in which to grow food, break down wastes, and filter precipitation for water supplies. More
August 28, 2012 | Brownfields, economic, liability, redevelopment, risk-based
Brownfields are properties whose ability to be redeveloped is hampered by the real or perceived threat of environmental contamination. While the distinction between “real” and “perceived” may seem too subtle to mention, there is a reason: Until the actual condition of a property is known, the property remains a mystery in terms of cleanup costs and liability. More
August 28, 2012 | effluent, lake, runoff, sediment, stream, surface water, Water quality
Water quality refers to the quality of the surface waters of our planet – things like creeks, small and large streams, springs, glacial melt water, fiords, bays, estuaries, seas and oceans. In North Carolina, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Water Quality Division regulate interior and coastal waters. More
August 28, 2012 | heating oil, petroleum, underground storage tanks, UST, USTs
Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) have been used extensively for decades to store fuel products and other liquids. The logic behind storing these products, which are often flammable, corrosive or explosive, beneath the ground is simple: It is considered safer and requires less space than surface storage – space that is often used, at gasoline stations, for example, for moving, fueling, and parking motor vehicles. More
August 27, 2012 | Brownfields, Hazardous waste, NC DENR, Superfund
Hazardous waste facilities are those whose operations generate waste products that are harmful to human health and the environmental. These wastes are toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive. More
August 27, 2012 | AAI, Assessment, ASTM, ESA, Phase I
In the environmental services industry, the term “Phase I” has come to mean a research-based report that identifies potential environmental concerns on and around those properties that are the subjects of the assessment. It is generally regarded as the first step in the process of performing due diligence. More