Just in time for the New Year, ASTME1527-13 has been officially approved by the EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA). The updated standard practice forthe Phase I Environmental Site Assessment processwill be effective from today, Monday December 30.

The EPA previously announced ASTM E1527-13's compliance with allindustry regulations, but the new standard was not officiallyrecognized as meeting All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) requirements until today's final ruling. TheASTM E1527-13 standard that was adopted todayis unchanged from the document published in November, but now includes a preliminarystatement that addresses public comments, and emphasizes EPA'sposition on implementing the new standard.

Although the previous version of the standard (ASTM E1527-05) will technically continue to meet AAI,ASTM E1527-13 replaces its predecessor as the industry bestpractice for Phase I ESAs, and the EPA advises partiesseeking to claim protection from liability under CERCLA to follow the updated ASTM E1527-13format.