Even though your company many not handle hazardous waste or petroleum, your property may be subject to rules and regulations regarding the cleanup of those wastes.  SMG will be presenting a series of blogs discussing what information you should know about your property before you buy, sell or borrow against property.  All property should go through the Phase I or All Appropriate Inquiry “AAI” process.  The blogs will concentrate on property in Kentucky, but most information will translate to other states and programs.  Today’s blog will concentrate on general environmental information you should know about your property and location and will cross over into other programs and areas besides clean-ups.

What are some of the environmental information do you need to know to make informed decisions?

  • How old is the building or structures and do you have a potential for asbestos or lead paint being present?
  • Are you in a floodplain?
  • Who are your current neighbors?  What do they do?
  • Do you have wells on the property?
  • Are there any restrictions on the property? Why are they there?
  • Are you in a well head protection area?
  • Are you in a sensitive habitat for endangered species?

This is not a complete list of items you may need to know, but it will get you started.  This type of information gathering can be overwhelming and may be something you contract out if you need a formal report.  However, for preliminary work, you may want to find out information on your own.   Where can you find out this information?  Some of this information will be at the Property Valuation Administrator’s office or on-line at your county PVA website.  The PVA will have information about the age of any building, you can find out who owns the adjacent properties, sometimes restrictions and right-of-ways are listed here.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can be a quick source for determining if your neighbor may have environmental permits or contamination.  It will not be comprehensive, but it a good start.  You can use Envirofacts to find out who in the neighborhood has permits, what type of pollutants the have reported and their compliance status.  On-going groundwater or soil cleanups in your neighborhood can indicate your property may be impacted.

Floodplains and endangered species are not usually reviewed or evaluated during a PHASE I or AAI process, but may impact your ability to remodel or develop a property.  You can use the FEMA website .  You can locate a list of Kentucky endangered species by county from the US fish and wildlife service .  Check back here for more information or contact me to get on our mailing list.