When a property experiences any type of contamination, the effects of that contamination will change over time, depending upon the characteristics of the contaminant and the subsurface environment. Read More...
How lenders can help FL prepare for 10 million new residents
In 2014 Florida passed New York as the nation’s third-most populous state, and in 2016 our head-count reached 20.6 million. Now, according to research at the University of Florida*, we may expand to 30,000,000 by 2045. Which raises an obvious question: Where are we going to put 10 million more people? The best answer to that question actually… Read More...
New Federal Law Holds Great Promise for Florida’s Water
My company (Environmental Risk Management) has two parallel purposes: to protect property owners, and to protect Florida’s natural resources. Those dual roles keep us constantly on the lookout for changes in environmental polices at every level. Recently, a major piece of Federal legislation was signed into law that may not have received widespread media coverage, but… Read More...
Hurricane Preparedness…in The Cloud
The importance of SPCC, FRP and SWPPP Documents A key part of hurricane preparations involves fortifying structures and systems in the hopes of withstanding the storm’s force. But another dimension is anticipating what must be done if those defenses fail—and in that regard, some of your strongest preparations for hurricanes should already be in The… Read More...
Phase I ESAs: Helping the Buyer (and the Lender) Beware
One of the early stages in the purchase of a commercial property can ultimately prove to be one of the most critical: the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). The Phase I ESA is a general overview of the property’s environmental condition, and it is typically required in loan transactions. The reason the Phase I… Read More...
New Redevelopment Funding Bill Effective July 1, 2017
July 1st marks the beginning of the new Fiscal Year for the State of Florida. The refresh button will be hit over the weekend, resetting $115,000,000 in State funding allotted for the Petroleum Restoration Program (PRP). Funding for the PRP includes $15,000,000 for the Low-Scored Site Initiative (LSSI) and $30,000,000 for Advanced Cleanups on low-scored… Read More...
Understanding New Environmental Legislation, Part 5 of 5: PCPP provides yet another option for cleaning up petroleum-contaminated properties.
This last entry in my five-part series on new environmental laws spotlights Florida’s Petroleum Cleanup Participation Program (PCPP), a cost-sharing program in which the state provides 75% of cleanup funds for an authorized property. Under this year’s legislation, the former statutory application deadline of December 31, 1998 has been removed. This opens up the possibility… Read More...
Understanding New Environmental Legislation, Part 4 of 5: “Case Closed” — or is it?
What happens when the matter of contamination on a given property has officially been declared closed… but then additional contamination is discovered on that same property? The answer to that question has not been completely clear. A new clause added with 2016 legislation adds some clarity by stating that a property may still be eligible… Read More...
Understanding New Environmental Legislation, Part 3 of 5: New opportunities to clean up properties burdened by abandoned petroleum tanks.
Thanks to this year’s Florida Legislative Session, a door that’s been closed for 20 years has been reopened. The statutory application deadline for the Abandoned Tank Restoration Program (ATRP)—previously frozen at June 30, 1996—has been removed. This means the ATRP eligibility program (which provides 100% state funding with no cap, and has a $500 deductible… Read More...
Understanding New Environmental Legislation, Part 2 of 5: Advancements in the Advanced Cleanup Program
This is the second installment in my five-part series summarizing environmental highlights from the 2016 Florida Legislative Session. This session saw a significant expansion to Florida’s Advanced Cleanup Program (ACP), which is designed to provide remedial funding to address petroleum contamination in advance of priority order. It is an excellent option for pending real estate… Read More...