THE DIRT: Property disclosures
The Dirt
Courtesy image
How do you know if a property is safe from environmental hazards when you purchase it? In most communities, you would not. To make that determination, a property owner would have to pay to have a Phase 1 environmental audit performed, which can be a burdensome expense. One of the benefits of living within the Bunker Hill Superfund Site is that procedures are in place to maintain environmental records on properties within the site and to make those records available free of cost. The BHSS is a geographic region that was impacted by lead and other heavy metals from historic mining, milling and smelting practices. Sampling for heavy metals within the site began in the 1980s, with cleanup efforts beginning in1986.
Cleanup measures for the BHSS are unique because contamination is so widespread and so deep in some areas that total removals could not be completed. Rather, partial removals were performed, and clean barriers ranging in depths from 6 to 12 inches were installed over the remaining contaminants. Because the success of this cleanup depends on the protection of these fragile barriers, the Institutional Controls Program was established under Panhandle Health District to oversee the installation and maintenance of these barriers as well as general dirt disturbance activities. The ICP also maintains records for all superfund-related data collected at the BHSS. This data includes soil sample results, records of any remedial actions taken on a property, copies of any ICP permits issued for that property and additional helpful information.
Become a Subscriber!
You have read all of your free articles this month. Select a plan below to start your subscription today.
Already a subscriber? Login
