In November of 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved the most recent American Society for Testing and Materials Standard E1527-21 as sufficient to satisfy “All Appropriate Inquiry” for potential liability protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. 78 Fed. Reg. 79,319.
As a result, E1527-21 now stands as the baseline for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. While the ASTM E1527-13 standard may still be appropriate in certain situations, as a general rule, individuals performing Phase I ESAs should ensure that their assessments are in compliance with the latest standard.