ASTM E1903-19

1.1.1 A user's interest in the presence or likely presence of substances in environmental media at a property may arise in a wide variety of legal, regulatory, and commercial contexts, and may involve diverse objectives including those listed in 1.2. This practice contemplates that the user and the Phase II Assessor will consult to define the scope and objectives of investigation in light of relevant factors, including without limitation the substances released or possibly released at the property, the nature of the concerns presented by their presence or likely presence, the behavior , fate and transport characteristics of substances released or possibly released, the portion of the property to be investigated, the information already available, the degree of confidence needed or desired in the results, the degree of investigatory sampling and chemical testing needed to achieve such confidence, and any applicable time and resource constraints. This practice requires that Phase II activities be conducted so that the resulting scope of work is performed, and the stated objectives are achieved, in a scientifically sound manner.

1.1.2 A Phase II ESA in accordance with this practice may be conducted after site assessment activities in accordance with Practice E1527 for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process, Practice E2247 for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment for Forestland or Rural Property, EPA's All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) Rule, 40 C.F.R. Part 312, or Practice E1528 for Limited Environmental Due Diligence: Transaction Screen Process. In defining the scope and purposes of a Phase II ESA, however, previous decisions to classify property conditions or areas as RECs, or to refrain from doing so, are not determinative as to whether investigation of the same conditions or areas is appropriate to meet the objectives of the Phase II ESA.

1.2.1 Objective 1-Assess whether there has been a release of