Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments: What They Are, When They're Required, and What Contractors Should Know
Environmental site assessments — Phase I records review and Phase II subsurface testing — identify contamination that can dramatically change a construction project's scope, cost, and schedule. Contractors encountering unexpected contamination mid-project face stop-work delays, remediation requirements, and liability exposure. Understanding when ESAs happen, what they find, and how contamination affects construction is essential for projects on urban, former industrial, or redevelopment sites.