Environmental Desktop Review and Records Search With Risk Assessment (RSRA)
What Is an RSRA?
An RSRA, often conducted in the context of real estate or environmental due diligence, involves the examination of various records and documents related to a property or project site to assess potential risks associated with it.
What It Typically Entails
Environmental Records
This includes a review of public records related to the property’s environmental history. It may involve checking for past or current environmental issues, contamination, hazardous waste permits, or violations.
Historical Land Use
This involves searching the historical land use of the property and neighboring properties to identify potential sources of contamination or other risks.
Surrounding Properties
This includes assessing risks related to neighboring properties, such as potentially incompatible land uses or environmental concerns that could impact the subject property.
The goal of a RSRA is to identify any potential risks, liabilities, or issues associated with the property or project site. This information is crucial for making informed decisions, such as whether to proceed with a real estate transaction, how to mitigate identified risks, or whether additional studies or assessments are needed. It is often conducted as part of the due diligence process when purchasing or developing real estate or when assessing potential environmental liabilities.
Desktop Review
An environmental desktop review, also known as a desktop study or environmental desktop assessment, is an initial evaluation of a property’s environmental conditions conducted without physical site visits or sampling. Another way to look at it is a scaled-down version of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). Instead, a desktop review relies on existing data, records, and publicly available information to assess the potential environmental risks associated with a property.
Key Components of a Desktop Review
Data Collection
Our environmental consultants will gather information from various sources, including government records, historical data, aerial photographs, maps, and publicly available databases. This data helps provide an overview of the property’s history and surrounding area.
Historical Research
We will investigate the property’s historical land use and ownership, looking for indications of past activities that could have involved hazardous materials or potential environmental concerns.
Regulatory Compliance
The review assesses whether the property is in compliance with relevant environmental regulations, such as permits, zoning codes, and land use restrictions.
Surrounding Area Assessment
Our consultants will evaluate nearby properties, industries, or facilities that might pose environmental risks to the subject property. This can include identifying potential sources of contamination or hazards in the vicinity.
Environmental Liabilities
The goal is to identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs) or areas of concern that may warrant further investigation. RECs are conditions on or near the property that may indicate potential contamination.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, the desktop review may provide recommendations for additional assessments or actions, such as a Phase I ESA or further data collection.
Risk Assessment
While not as comprehensive as a Phase I ESA, a desktop review aims to provide an initial risk assessment, helping property buyers or investors understand potential environmental liabilities.
Cost and Time Efficiency
Desktop reviews are typically quicker and more cost-effective than full Phase I ESAs. They are often used as a preliminary screening tool to decide whether a more detailed assessment is warranted.
Decision Support
The information gathered in a desktop review can help property buyers or investors make informed decisions about whether to proceed with a transaction, negotiate terms, or conduct further due diligence.
It’s important to note that while a desktop review can provide valuable preliminary information, it does not substitute for a Phase I ESA, which involves a physical site inspection and is a more thorough assessment.
A Phase I ESA is typically recommended if the desktop review identifies RECs or areas of concern. Additionally, the level of detail in a desktop review may vary depending on the scope and available data, and it may not uncover all environmental risks associated with a property. Therefore, it is often used as a first step in the due diligence process, with the option to conduct a more comprehensive assessment if needed.