We understand lender requirements and deliver clear, defensible environmental assessments that support sound lending decisions — scoped to the report level your credit policy and loan program actually require.
SOP 50 10 decision-tree scoping for 7(a) and 504 loans, with reliance extended to the lender, SBA, and CDC
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ASTM E1528 Transaction Screens and Records Search with Risk Assessment for collateral below your Phase I threshold, in 3-5 business days
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ASTM E1527-21 compliant assessments with clear risk characterization and recommendations
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Subsurface sampling and analysis when RECs require further evaluation
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Bulk Phase I programs with normalized collateral risk scoring for acquisition portfolios and existing loan book sweeps
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Pre-foreclosure liability evaluation, secured creditor exemption analysis, and REO disposition strategy for distressed collateral
Explore this serviceCommon environmental and engineering obstacles facing financial institutions & lenders.
Environmental assessments that don't meet lender requirements or lack clear recommendations delay closings and frustrate borrowers.
Commercial real estate portfolios may contain properties with unknown environmental liabilities that impact collateral value.
SBA, FDIC, and internal policies require specific environmental due diligence standards that vary by loan type and property use.
Every report we issue is scoped to the standard your loan program, examiner, or investor will test it against — so environmental review never becomes the reason a closing slips.
ASTM International · EPA All Appropriate Inquiries
Phase I ESAs must follow ASTM E1527-21 to satisfy EPA's All Appropriate Inquiries rule and preserve CERCLA landowner liability defenses. Reports go stale after 180 days, with certain components valid only 180 days from the acquisition date.
U.S. Small Business Administration
7(a) and 504 loans follow SBA's environmental decision tree: the required investigation level depends on property type, NAICS-listed environmentally sensitive uses, and loan amount, and reliance must run to the lender, SBA, and the CDC.
ASTM International
Lower-risk collateral below your Phase I threshold can be cleared with a Transaction Screen or a Records Search with Risk Assessment, provided the scope and its limitations are documented in the credit file.
CERCLA §101(20)(E)-(G) · Asset Conservation Act
A lender holding indicia of ownership primarily to protect a security interest can stay outside CERCLA owner/operator liability — but participation in management, or the wrong post-foreclosure conduct, can forfeit the exemption.
FDIC · OCC · Federal Reserve examiner guidance
Examiners expect a written environmental risk policy: defined due-diligence triggers by loan type and size, consistent documentation, qualified environmental professionals, and periodic review of collateral risk.
NJDEP ISRA / SRRA · NYSDEC BCP
In New Jersey, ISRA can be triggered by a transfer or change of ownership at an industrial establishment and requires LSRP involvement. New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program governs cleanup and tax-credit eligibility on remediated collateral.
Lenders & transaction teams
Tell us where you sit in the transaction and when it closes. We route your request straight to the team that handles Lender Environmental Due Diligence and come back with a fixed-fee scope and a schedule built around your closing date.
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Four scopes cover almost every environmental question a credit file raises. Pick the situation you're in and the table highlights the right one — or compare all four side by side.
What's the situation?
| Compare | SBA Environmental Due Diligence SOP 50 10 decision-tree scoping for 7(a) and 504 loans | Transaction Screen & RSRA The fast, lower-cost tier for collateral below your Phase I threshold | Portfolio & Loan Book Review Bulk screening with normalized collateral risk scoring | Workout, REO & Foreclosure Risk Liability evaluation before you take title on distressed collateral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||||
| Best for | 7(a) and 504 loans where the SBA decision tree, not your internal policy, sets the report level | Lower-risk collateral on a tight closing calendar where a full Phase I isn't warranted | Acquisition portfolios and existing loan book sweeps where you need ranking, not one report | Defaulted loans, pre-foreclosure decisions, and REO assets headed for disposition |
| Typical trigger | SBA-guaranteed loan secured by commercial real estate | Small-balance loan, non-sensitive property use, or a refinance on a known asset | Loan portfolio purchase, examiner request, or annual collateral risk review | Borrower default, planned foreclosure, deed in lieu, or an REO sale |
| Scope | ||||
| Standard / basis | SBA SOP 50 10 decision tree, layered on ASTM E1527-21 / E1528 | ASTM E1528 Transaction Screen; RSRA for records-only review | Bulk regulatory database screening with a normalized internal scoring model | CERCLA secured creditor exemption analysis with ASTM-conformant investigation as needed |
| Site visit & fieldwork | Scaled to the decision tree — records-only, screen, or full site reconnaissance | Transaction Screen includes a site visit and questionnaire; RSRA is records-only | Desktop by default; site visits triggered only on flagged assets | Site visit and condition documentation at the time of possession; sampling where warranted |
| Deliverable | RSRA, Transaction Screen or Phase I ESA plus an EP qualifications statement | Screen or RSRA report with a clear close / escalate recommendation | Ranked risk register plus per-asset summaries and a recommended action tier | Liability memo, cost-to-cure range, and a disposition strategy |
| Timing | ||||
| Typical turnaround | 3–5 business days for an RSRA; 10–15 for a full Phase I | 3–5 business days | 2–4 weeks depending on portfolio size | 1–3 weeks, accelerated for a scheduled foreclosure date |
| Priced per | Per property, per loan | Per property | Per portfolio, tiered by asset count | Per asset |
| Credit file | ||||
| Reliance | Lender, SBA, and the CDC named in writing | Lender and its successors and assigns | Institution-level reliance covering the reviewed asset list | Lender, special servicer, and counsel |
| Decision it supports | Whether the loan can be guaranteed and funded as scoped | Whether this file can clear on a screen or needs a Phase I | Which assets need a full Phase I, which clear, which carry active cases | Foreclose, hold, or sell the note — and what the recovery really nets |
| Escalates to | Phase II investigation, escrow or indemnity condition | ASTM E1527-21 Phase I ESA | Phase I ESA or Transaction Screen on flagged assets | Phase II investigation, remediation scoping, or brownfield program entry |
| View SBA Due Diligence | View Screen / RSRA | View Portfolio Review | View Workout / REO | |
SOP 50 10 decision-tree scoping for 7(a) and 504 loans
See how we've helped clients in your industry solve complex environmental challenges.
Completed 24 Phase I ESAs for commercial portfolio acquisition within 30-day due diligence window.
Environmental due diligence for construction loan on former industrial brownfield site.
Phase I/II program for 12-property industrial portfolio with multiple environmental concerns.
Our certifications, insurance coverage, and regulatory expertise give you confidence that your project is in capable hands.
Common questions from financial institutions & lenders about our environmental and civil engineering services.
