Environmental Site Assessment
Providing clear, professional evaluations of property conditions—identifying environmental, health, and safety risks such as hazardous materials and occupational concerns—to support confident, informed decisions about site use and acquisition.
Jason Haney
Environmental Site Assessments are used to determine the presence or absence of recognized environmental conditions. They are usually related to property acquisition, but may be performed in response to the discovery of potential environmental contaminants at a facility.
EHS staff may also perform site-specific assessments to identify other environmental health and safety considerations such as the presence of hazardous materials and occupational safety issues that may impact the environment or occupancy.
Contact EHS for further information or to start an Environmental Site Assessment.
Program Applicability
The Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Program supports Penn State units involved in the acquisition, lease, transfer, renovation, or redevelopment of property to help identify potential environmental liabilities.
This program applies to:
- University-owned or leased properties
- Properties being considered for purchase, sale, or long-term lease
- Facilities undergoing major renovation, demolition, or change in use
- Off‑campus sites used for University operations, research, or storage
Environmental site assessments help Penn State make informed decisions by identifying recognized environmental conditions (RECs), such as potential soil or groundwater contamination, in accordance with applicable regulations and industry standards.
Program Requirements
University units must engage Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) when environmental due diligence is required for a property or project.
Key requirements include:
- Early coordination with EHS during property transactions or project planning
- Completion of an Environmental Site Assessment, as determined by EHS (e.g., Phase I ESA or additional evaluation)
- Use of qualified environmental professionals approved or coordinated by EHS
- Review and documentation of assessment findings prior to finalizing property decisions
EHS uses site assessments to:
- Evaluate potential environmental risks
- Support regulatory compliance and liability protection
- Recommend next steps, if additional investigation or mitigation is needed
Environmental site assessments must be completed before property acquisition, lease execution, or project advancement, when applicable.
Documents and Forms
Additional Resources
- Facilities Planning & Property Management
Support for real estate transactions and capital projects - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Information on environmental due diligence and All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) - Penn State Policies and Procedures
University requirements related to property management, environmental compliance, and risk management
Phase I ESA
A Phase I ESA includes a "Transaction Screen Questionnaire" which is a tool that systematically evaluates the property for the presence or likely presence of impacts from contaminants, including hazardous materials and petroleum products. The information in the questionnaire is provided by one or all of the following: the property owner, the occupant, or observations during the site visit.
The goal of the Phase I ESA is to determine if there are "recognized environmental conditions" at the site. This term is defined as the presence or likely presence of any hazardous substances or petroleum products on the property under conditions that indicate an existing release, a past release, or a material threat of a release into the ground, ground water, or surface water of the property. This is done by:
- Reviewing existing records,
- Conducting a site reconnaissance,
- Conducting an environmental lien search of the property owner,
- Conducting a search of federal and state databases,
- Conducting interviews with site-related and regulatory officials, and
- Reviewing published soil and geology data.
Occasionally water or soil samples may be collected at the site.
The collected information for the Phase I ESA is compiled, and the recognized environmental conditions at the site, if any, are identified. Based on the findings, a Phase II ESA may be recommended.
Phase II/III ESA
A Phase II ESA is performed to further investigate any recognized environmental conditions that may be found during the Phase I ESA. The Phase II investigation includes further sampling of the site, generally by soil borings or monitoring well construction for ground water sampling. The object of the Phase II ESA is to confirm the presence or absence of impacts from the recognized environmental conditions, and if present, to define the extent of the impact. In some cases, additional information is required, necessitating a Phase III ESA.