Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment

819 E. Phelps Street

Date of Report: November 7, 2002
Assessment Funding: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant
Acres: approximately 0.9

Site Background

The subject property is located in the historic industrial downtown area of Springfield and, at the time of the assessment, included a two-story, 3,600 square feet building with 1,800 square feet of office space and an equal amount of square footage used for spare or replacement parts storage. From 1954 through 1980 the subject property was a vacant lot. The current building was first noted on the subject property in a 1985 aerial photograph. Jordan Creek is located immediately south of the property.

Findings

Three historical recognized environmental conditions (RECs) were identified during the site assessment. The first historical REC relates to the presence of a bulk oil facility west of the property from the late 1800’s to the mid 1970’s. In the assessor’s opinion the proximity of the historic bulk oil station, which had at one point in time 20 tanks associated with it, represents a historical REC.

The second historical REC relates to the fact that two underground storage tanks (USTs) of unknown size, one containing diesel and one containing gasoline, were either removed or closed in place in approximately 1950 on the subject property.

The third historical REC is the past presence of a laundry facility adjacent to the west of the property. Reportedly, solvents were stored in three large above ground tanks on this adjacent property.

The assessment report recommends the collection and analysis of subsurface soil samples to determine if impact from petroleum hydrocarbons related to the bulk oil station and/or the USTs and/or from solvents related to the laundry facility exist on the subject property.

Commercial Metals, a metal recycler, is located south of the subject property and has received violations with regard to the management of hazardous wastes. In the assessor’s opinion, historical RECs are present at this particular facility. None of the information reviewed for this assessment provides evidence suggesting the likelihood of impact from Commercial Metals to the subject property. It is the assessor’s opinion that if such information becomes available in the future, this assessment should be revised.