Targus was retained to perform an environmental site assessment (Phase I ESA and additional non-ASTM services) of a three-story office building with surface parking and an adjoining multifamily residential structure over subgrade parking under construction on two city blocks. The office building was constructed over a historical auto repair/ storage facility that operated from the 1950s to the early 1980s, at which time soil affected by prior releases of petroleum and halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was encountered during basement and foundation excavation. Although the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) had been aware of interim corrective measures (excavation and installation of sub-slab ventilation), no formal closure was documented and the property remained inactive on the ODEQ Environmental Cleanup Site Information (ECSI) database.
Targus corresponded with an ODEQ representative to identify a path to closure, which included demonstration that former dry wells receiving oily runoff from the former auto service operations had not adversely affected groundwater and that indoor air was not unacceptably affected by underlying soil vapor. The seller engaged a third party to undertake testing required by the ODEQ as approved and reviewed by Targus. The results of groundwater monitoring documented satisfactory groundwater conditions. Although indoor air testing results did not identify unacceptable vapor concentrations, Targus’ independent evaluations identified substandard condition of the sub-slab ventilation piping through the building interior. The seller team secured a No Further Action (NFA) determination from the ODEQ without calling out the condition of interior vent piping.
Upon receipt of the NFA, updated status on the ECSI, and in consideration that repair/ replacement of the interior piping had been sufficiently budgeted together with the indoor air data, Targus opined that the residual contamination from prior releases constituted a controlled recognized environmental condition. Thereafter, Targus’ client closed on the acquisition and undertook repair/ replacement of the interior vent piping.
