Phase I Environmental Assessments

The NORTECH Team has completed almost 100 Phase I ESAs across Alaska in the past four years, in both urban and rural Alaskan locations, involving residential, commercial, university, and governmental properties ranging from Juneau to the Dalton Highway, and from Nome to Tok. Our reports follow the normal course of evaluating the prospective site by doing local interviews, a contaminated site database review, a review of any past reports and environmental data, and an on-site inspection. The projects cited below are among the more interesting, complex or problematic that we’ve handled, and can be viewed as proof that Alaska’s wide expanses of open country don’t obviate the painful fact that several of our more intensively or long-used areas have unusual environmental problems to untangle. Alaska has over 50% of the USA’s natural wetlands, is often subject to flooding and earthquakes, and is home to several threatened or endangered species. Whether as a small side element to a standard Phase I ESA, or as a stand-alone environmental study, our Team regularly evaluates these underlying aspects of property assessment.

Block 39 Phase I/II Environmental Site Asessment, Fairbanks, Alaska

NORTECH completed a combination Phase I and Phase II ESA which involved almost 2/3 of the entire Block 13, Fairbanks Townsite, in downtown Fairbanks. The Phase I effort was relatively typical, other than the focus on office buildings almost 70 years old at the very center of Fairbanks’ long-standing business core. The Phase II aspects of work involved a magnetic site survey at the parking lots searching for old, abandoned foundations and utility lines, and a full ACM/LBP/HM assessment of each of the block’s two to three-story buildings to identify the presence and quantities of these hazardous materials and the associated probable costs to demolish the block in order to erect in its place a 6-story, modern hotel along the Chena River at this site. (Now the successful Fairbanks Springhill Suites, constructed and operated by Marriott)

Nenana Student Housing Phase I ESA, Nenana, Alaska

NORTECH completed this Phase I ESA for the two lot (11 acres) location selected and promoted within this small community for the erection of Nenana School Student Housing (modern boarding-school arrangements). The Phase I provided a search of prior and current property uses at the Site and adjacent properties to determine the likelihood of past or present contamination by toxic or hazardous substances. The material presented met the Alaska Department of Education requirements for funding due diligence, and enabled the school to be built.

Prospect Creek Airport, Blk 1, Lot 1 Phase I ESA, MP 137 Dalton Highway

The Prospect Creek Airport was built in the early 1970’s to bring in supplies for the construction of the Dalton Highway and later the Alyeska Pipeline and adjacent Pump Station #5. This Phase I was prepared to help Mr. Zachary to adequately evaluate whether or not to take over operation of Lot 1, Block 1 of the airport, since the environmental condition of this leased property with an active above-ground fuel tank farm on it was in question and contention.

Vangas Phase I ESA, Fairbanks, Alaska

Suburban Propane, which had taken over a property from Vangas in Fairbanks when they bought out their Alaskan propane supply business, had not used the site for a number of years and was pursuing the process of relinquishing its Alaska Railroad lease lot at the ARRC’s industrial area just north of the Chena River. In order to complete their lease closeout requirements, they had to have a Phase I ESA prepared. NORTECH completed the Phase I ESA, and identified sufficient concerns that it recommended the execution of several Phase II activities, which later determined that this lot had significant below ground contamination, which is still being remediated at this time. Suburban is still using NORTECH as its local agent to accomplish all facets of the cleanup activities.