§          Beltsville Industrial Center, Beltsville, Maryland

      This project required the environmental assessment of scores of properties surrounding a known source of perchloroethylene groundwater contamination, in a heavily industrialized area. LAS conducted an investigation into the history of operations of numerous potential sources of solvent contamination within a 2-mile radius of the subject site that encompassed the former building occupied by Gothard Space Center (abutting) and USDA's Beltsville complex on the Indian River. The product of our work was to be used to establish grounds for potential suits against other off-site parties that might have contributed to the area-wide groundwater contamination which was discharging into the Indian River (LAS sampled surface water in the river). LAS followed its initial environment assessment work with a "Phase II" groundwater study involving the installation of 13 off-site monitoring wells throughout the center. LAS findings were subject to Maryland Department of Environment review, and LAS met with MDE officials representing its client on two occasions. Thereafter, LAS reviewed on-site remedial plans and progress reports for its client and assisted attorneys in a suit against the client's property insurance companies.   

§          Civitas Properties, Tampa, Florida

      Working under significant time constraints, LAS completed more than 10 comprehensive environmental assessments ordered to complete a due diligence process for a proposed redevelopment project in the general Central Park area of Tampa. The project also included parcels that were not in the target zone that were to be swapped to the City of Tampa. All these sites were basically in the heart of Tampa and had histories dating back before the turn of the 20th Century. LAS conducted significant research and identified numerous potential pollution sources. One area now developed with apartments had to be reconstructed based on the layout of the original streets in order to report our findings.

§          Industrial Site, Bradenton, Florida

      Working for NationsBank (now Bank of America), LAS suspected significant chlorinated solvent groundwater contamination on its site after completing a routine Phase I ESA. Our Phase I ESA findings indicated dumping of automotive fluids on the abutting property near the fence line. Ultimately, permission was gained to conduct additional testing on the abutting site and free product (DNAPL) was identified in one of the monitoring wells we installed and buried objects were suspected near the border after completing a GPR study. LAS went on to represent the bank in subsequent litigations regarding the contamination.

§         The Heights, Tampa, Florida

      This comprehensive Phase I environmental site assessment covered 740 acres (multiple city blocks) of urban property with history dating back into the 1880s and earlier (Fort Brooke area). Most of the property had been razed at the time of our work, and substantial research had to be conducted. LAS identified an old paint plant, ship repair operations, dredging company, former water works plant, fishing business, street car barn, artesian wells, dry cleaners, and many other uses of the property over the years. The site included City of Tampa property including former fleet and police vehicle maintenance buildings with fuel storage tanks, and a federal "Brownfields" zone. As an additional task, LAS studied the dredging history of the Hillsborough River abutting the subject property to the west and south to determine if "maintenance" dredging could be performed. LAS conducted a "Phase II" study on one portion of the site and discovered creosote contamination.