Project Experience

MEI is a small firm (formerly Middleton, Kontokosta Associates Ltd.), originally founded in 1983 with in-depth experience in environmental planning, comprehensive design and development services. The principals, staff and associated consulting experts at MEI have a solid foundation and proven excellence in a wide range of professional services. The following is a partial listing of projects that have been managed by principals of MEI and MKA.

Environmental Site Assessment Program:

1986 to Present

The Environmental Site Assessment Program is a phased effort aimed at helping clients (banks, private corporations, lending institutions, insurance companies, etc.) to assess and avoid the enormous cleanup liability and litigation costs so often associated with asbestos or hazardous waste contaminated properties.

Phase I Environmental Site Assessment/Transaction Screen Process (TSP) Reporting:

The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and TSP’s are conducted in order to determine any potential Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC’s), that may have an adverse impact on the Subject Property as well as the value of such property under the American Society of Testing and Materials Standard E1527 and E1528. All Phase I ESA and TSP reports must conform to these standards in order to quality for the “Innocent Landowner Defense” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Cleanup Liability Act (CERCLA). The Phase I ESA and TSP consists of a site investigation of any structures and outside grounds for the presence/possible presence of underground or aboveground storage tanks, 55 gallon drums, floor drains or Underground Injection Control concerns and several other items as well as several non-ASTM scope items (or Bank Risk items), such as Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM), lead based paint (LBP), wetlands, mold and radon.

All documentation pertaining to the present and past usage of the Subject Property are obtained in order to evaluate the potential for improper chemical disposal on the Subject Property. The surrounding sites area also examined (to the fullest extent possible), in order to determine if the past and current land use could have an apparent adverse impact on the Subject Property.

During the preparation of the Phase I ESA report, environmental databases are reviewed in order to determine if there are any hazardous waste sites, landfills, leaking underground storage tanks (LUST) sites, hazardous waste generators or cases of improper chemical disposal on the Subject Property or within the vicinity of the Subject Property that may adversely impact the property. Databases such as the USEPA’s NPL, CERCLIS and RCRA databases as well as state and local hazardous waste site lists, leaking underground storage tanks lists and other pertinent databases are also examined in order to ascertain whether any hazardous wastes, landfills, oil spills or any related problems exist at the Subject Property or in the vicinity of the Subject Property.

If the physical site inspection, historical site analysis and review of regulatory agency records demonstrate that a large scale contamination concern does not exist regarding the Subject Property, the Phase I ESA report is submitted and our service is completed.

Phase II Environmental Site Assessments:

If a Recognized Environmental Condition is suspected during the preparation of the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is conducted in order to evaluate the extent and type of contamination that may exist on the Subject Property. Depending upon the type of recognized environmental condition that was observed during the Phase I ESA, samples of asbestos, lead based paint, on-site soils, cesspool/drywell sediments and groundwater can be extracted and analyzed at a certified testing laboratory in order to determine if elevated levels of contamination have impacted the Subject Property. Elevated levels of contamination can have a large impact on the value of the property. The Phase II ESA report will indicate the levels of contamination observed during the extraction of samples from the property, recommend a method of cleanup of the contamination and estimate cleanup costs. If… and we mean if, an environmental report has identified a recognized environmental condition, we have you covered. Our affiliated company, Castleton Environmental, can help from there. Learn more here!

Phase III Environmental Site Assessments:

The Phase III ESA is the remedial phase of the ESA Program. If contamination is encountered during a Phase II ESA, the Phase III ESA will involve the planning and methodology of environmental remediation. Costs associated with conducting a Phase III ESA will vary greatly due to factors such as the nature and extent of contamination, contaminant type and method of contamination disposal.