EnviroForensics® Turns Clients' Environmental Liabilities Into Assets

In a world where concern about environmental liabilities grows greater every day, where do small businesses, property owners and municipalities turn to convert those liabilities into assets? Since 1996, many of them have found needed solutions with EnviroForensics, an environmental engineering firm of veteran engineers and scientists who offer leadership and international experience in site investigation, remediation, legal support and resource management. Located at 4234 Hacienda Drive, Suite 250, since 2001, the firm works to resolve challenging environmental problems that involve political, technical, regulatory, legal, and financial issues.

"Locally, our twelve geologists, engineers and technicians customize solutions to clients' individual circumstances using the resources available from our strategically-assembled national staff," says John Bird, P.G., vice president and director of EnviroForensic's litigation support services. "In addition, we help clients find funding sources to pay for site investigations, cleanup, and legal expenses.

EnviroForensics has performed hundreds of site investigations in order to quantify environmental liabilities, identify other contributing and responsible parties, and provide comprehensive and legally defensible data. Engineers and scientists develop remediation plans with innovative, risk-based corrective measures for soil and groundwater contamination. Plans are designed to be cost-effective, minimize business disruption, and comply with regulatory agencies to facilitate property transfers and site closures.

The firm also serves attorneys who must meet the demands and requirements of litigation and settlement, insurance claims coverage and governmental regulations by conducting investigations and providing defensible data. Environmental assessment and due diligence services for commercial and residential developers, property management companies, real estate investment trusts, brownfield developers, financial institutions, law firms, and governmental agencies are offered as well.

"For example, we may work with a Mom and Pop dry cleaning business that's been in existence for 40 or 50 years," Bird explains. "The owners have followed all the necessary procedures and upgraded their equipment through the years and are ready to retire and sell their business. As part of the sale of the business and property where it is located, environmental due diligence is performed to determine whether there has been a release or a leak of toxic chemicals. If contamination has occurred, it may very well have been accidental, caused by something as simple as a spilled bucket or an equipment malfunction.

"If contamination is discovered, the owners now face a multimillion-dollar soil and groundwater clean-up instead of retirement with the proceeds from the sale of their business. Fortunately, it is likely that the business had insurance that may help pay for the damage that has occurred," Bird continues. "Our affiliated company, PolicyFind, does the insurance archeology work in cases such as those and we work with the insurance carrier to obtain the coverage to do the work. We try to accomplish this with a minimum of out-of-pocket expense by the business owner."

For extensive information about all of EnviroForensics' services, visit www.enviroforensics.com.

Also in this issue...

Share this page!