4.9 Google
Subsurface sampling to ASTM E1903-19 · Confirm or rule out contamination · Accepted by banks & the SBA
We start from the Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs) your Phase 1 ESA identified, then scope a targeted sampling plan — boring locations, depths, and the exact analytes the suspected source requires. You get a clear, budget-conscious quote before any drilling begins.
Our field crews advance soil borings, install monitoring wells where groundwater data is needed, and collect soil, groundwater, and (when relevant) soil-vapor samples — screening with photoionization detectors and logging strict chain-of-custody on every sample.
Samples go to an accredited laboratory, then we prepare a Phase 2 ESA report to ASTM E1903-19 — comparing results to state cleanup objectives and stating clearly whether contamination is present. The report is accepted by banks and the SBA.
A Phase 2 ESA is the next step after a Phase 1 ESA flags a Recognized Environmental Condition. It physically samples the property to confirm or rule out contamination — and, where vapor intrusion is the concern, a focused Soil Gas Investigation targets the inhalation pathway.
"We were running up against some deadlines, and they jumped through hoops to get everything completed on time."
"The A3E team did a great job on our Phase 1 report. They were quick, thorough and professional."
"They were able to give me all of the information that I needed. Highly recommend A3 Environmental."
Lab-validated sampling
Small business (WOSB)
Environmental consulting
Google Reviews
A Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment is the intrusive, sample-based follow-up to a Phase 1 ESA. Where a Phase 1 reviews records, history, and a site visit to flag potential problems — Recognized Environmental Conditions, or RECs — a Phase 2 physically tests the ground to answer the question records cannot: is contamination actually there, and is it above or below the state's cleanup objectives? A3 Environmental performs Phase 2 ESAs to ASTM E1903-19, the standard accepted by banks and the Small Business Administration (SBA), so the report carries the weight lenders need to close a deal.
You order a Phase 2 when a Phase 1 ESA identifies a REC that cannot be explained away — an undocumented underground storage tank, a history of dry-cleaning or fueling operations, unexplained staining, or a gap between the site's history and the regulatory record. At that point the only way forward is to sample. Buyers, sellers, and lenders rely on the Phase 2 to either clear the property or define exactly what is wrong with it before money changes hands.
Our scientists scope the investigation around the specific REC, then advance soil borings and collect groundwater — and, where the concern warrants, soil-vapor — samples. Analytes are matched to the suspected source: petroleum hydrocarbons for a former gas station, chlorinated solvents for a former dry cleaner, RCRA metals for an industrial site, plus VOCs, SVOCs, and PAHs as the situation requires. Field crews screen soil with photoionization detectors (PIDs) as borings advance, and the accredited laboratory results are validated against state cleanup objectives such as Illinois' Tiered Approach to Corrective Action Objectives (TACO). The result is a definitive yes-or-no on contamination — and a measured picture of how much, and where.
Every A3 Environmental Phase 2 begins with a strategic, budget-conscious scope — we agree on areas of concern, target chemicals, and sample locations before the drillers mobilize, so there are no surprises on the invoice. We collect samples under strict chain-of-custody, run laboratory analysis, and deliver a Phase 2 ESA report comparing results to regulatory objectives. If the property is clean, your due diligence is closed out. If contamination is found, A3 Environmental has the in-house resources to carry the project into site investigation, remediation, and ultimately a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter from the state. We serve Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa — backed by hundreds of completed Phase 2 ESAs and a 4.9★ Google rating since 2015.
