"To me, ECOSS is an angel because I would have never known what to do. I was so depressed [about the discovery of contamination] and couldn’t sleep at night."

Ms. Despi
Delite Bakery

Brownfields Program

Any piece of real estate that has problems being redeveloped or reused because of real or perceived contamination in soil or groundwater is considered to be a Brownfield. Assessing, cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated property is a major element of the state’s Growth Management Act and is considered to be a cornerstone of sustainable business practice.

ECOSS is committed to assisting businesses and property owners in Brownfield redevelopment by providing technical expertise, contacts to local environmental professionals, and regulatory education. We specialize in providing site assessment assistance.

Site Assessment

Understanding the risks associated with Brownfield redevelopment begins with a site assessment. ECOSS can provide free initial assessments by researching old tax records for property history and land use, reviewing technical reports and conducting confidential interviews with regulators. This may be followed with suggestions on site cleanup remedies and information on regulatory compliance. Through the King County Brownfields Program, ECOSS can provide additional assistance for qualified private businesses, nonprofit organizations and municipalities in King County. This assistance includes formal Phase I site assessments as specified in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Practice E-1527-05. This assessment complies with EPA’s “All Appropriate Inquiry” standards and offers certain liability protections under federal regulations. A Phase I assessment may be followed by a Phase II assessment that would include collection of soil and groundwater samples as needed for laboratory analysis.

A Phase I and Phase II site assessment is usually required to develop a cleanup action plan (CAP) and to secure financing for development on a Brownfield site.