Environmental Guides
Practical how-to guidance for sampling, site assessments, and regulatory compliance.
Indiana Contained-In Determination - When Contaminated Media Becomes Hazardous Waste
How contained-in determinations work in Indiana. When contaminated soil and groundwater are regulated as hazardous waste, and how to exit contained-in status.
Published Apr 24, 2026Indiana Institutional Controls - Environmental Restrictive Covenants and Use Limitations
How institutional controls work in Indiana cleanups. Environmental restrictive covenants, activity and use limitations, recording, and the IC registry.
Published Apr 24, 2026Indiana VRP Process Walkthrough - Application, Investigation, and Closure
Step-by-step guide to Indiana's Voluntary Remediation Program. Application, investigation, risk evaluation, remediation, and obtaining a Covenant Not to Sue.
Published Apr 24, 2026Indiana Excess Liability Trust Fund (ELTF) - Petroleum Cleanup Reimbursement Guide
How Indiana's ELTF works for UST petroleum cleanup reimbursement. Eligibility, deductibles, coverage limits, claims process, and common pitfalls.
Updated Apr 14, 2026IDEM R2 Walkthrough - Indiana Risk-based Closure Guide (WASTE-0046-R2)
Practical walkthrough of IDEM's R2 closure guide for all Indiana cleanup programs. Covers published levels, characterization, risk evaluation, and closure.
Updated Apr 14, 2026Indiana Spill Reporting Quick Reference - Who to Call and When
Indiana spill reporting: who to call, reportable quantities, timelines, and follow-up. Covers 327 IAC 2-6.1, UST releases under 329 IAC 9, and NRC reporting.
Updated Apr 14, 2026Indiana UST Closure Requirements - Assessment, Sampling, and Reporting
Indiana UST closure under 329 IAC 9-6. Procedures, advance notification, soil and groundwater sampling requirements, site assessment reporting, and closure.
Updated Apr 14, 2026BUSTR Interim Response Actions - Source Removal and Short-Term Cleanup
Ohio BUSTR interim response action (IRA) requirements: when to conduct an IRA, what qualifies, soil excavation limits, and confirmatory sampling.
Published Mar 29, 2026Ohio BUSTR Petroleum Contaminated Soil - Reuse, Treatment, and Disposal
Ohio BUSTR petroleum contaminated soil management - stockpile sampling, reuse action levels, storage limits, treatment options, and disposal requirements.
Published Mar 29, 2026BUSTR Remedial Action Plans, Tier 3, and No Further Action
Ohio BUSTR remedial action plan requirements, Tier 3 evaluations, monitoring plans, and the path to No Further Action for petroleum UST corrective action sites.
Published Mar 29, 2026BUSTR Tier 1 Source Investigation and Delineation
BUSTR Tier 1 source investigation and delineation for petroleum UST releases in Ohio: COC sampling, drinking water determination, and action level comparison.
Published Mar 29, 2026BUSTR Tier 2 Evaluation - Site-Specific Target Levels and Pathway Analysis
BUSTR Tier 2 evaluation for petroleum UST sites in Ohio: land use determination, site conceptual exposure model, SSTL development, and POE identification.
Published Mar 29, 2026EPA RSL November 2024 Update - What Changed and Key Values
November 2024 EPA RSL update: key value changes, lead soil RSL reduced to 200 ppm, RML set at 600 ppm, benzene tapwater RSL, and how to use current RSL tables.
Published Mar 29, 2026Ohio Spill Reporting Quick Reference - Who to Call and When
Ohio spill and release reporting: who to call, reportable quantities, timelines, and follow-up. Covers ORC 3750.06, BUSTR releases, and NRC reporting.
Published Mar 29, 2026Ohio Urban Setting Designation - Eliminating the Drinking Water Pathway
What an Urban Setting Designation is, threshold criteria, how it eliminates the drinking water pathway for VAP and BUSTR sites, and the application process.
Published Mar 29, 2026Ohio VAP Certified Professional - Requirements, Training, and Certification
Ohio VAP Certified Professional requirements: education, experience, initial training, continuing education, and annual recertification under OAC 3745-300-05.
Published Mar 29, 2026SPCC Plan Requirements - Who Needs One and What It Must Include
Federal SPCC plan requirements under 40 CFR 112. Oil storage thresholds, plan types, PE vs. self-certification, secondary containment, and 5-year review.
Published Mar 29, 2026SWPPP Requirements - Construction and Industrial Stormwater Permits in Ohio
SWPPP requirements for Ohio construction and industrial sites. NOI permits, erosion controls, inspection schedules, and Ohio EPA general permit requirements.
Published Mar 29, 2026AHERA Sampling and the 1% Threshold - Asbestos Inspection Protocols
AHERA sampling rules, the 1% ACM threshold, OSHA's any-amount rule, commonly misclassified materials, and inspection reporting.
Published Mar 25, 2026Asbestos NESHAP Explained - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
What the asbestos NESHAP requires: surveys, notifications, threshold quantities, work practices, and demolition vs. renovation rules.
Published Mar 25, 2026EPA RRP Rule Explained - Renovation, Repair, and Painting
What the EPA RRP Rule requires: certified renovators, firm certification, lead-safe work practices, and pre-1978 housing triggers.
Published Mar 25, 2026EPA Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) Explained
What RSLs are, how they're calculated, update schedule, toxicity hierarchy, and which table to use. A reference guide for consultants.
Published Mar 25, 2026Hazardous Waste Determination Guide - Listed vs. Characteristic Waste
How to determine if waste is hazardous: listed wastes, characteristic wastes, TCLP, the four characteristics, and generator knowledge.
Published Mar 25, 2026Ohio Asbestos Certification and Licensing Guide
Ohio EPA asbestos certification types, training requirements, fees, and application process. AHES, AHAS, AHAW, and contractor licensing.
Published Mar 25, 2026Ohio Asbestos Disposal Requirements
Asbestos waste handling, packaging, labeling, transport, and disposal requirements in Ohio under NESHAP and OAC 3745-20.
Published Mar 25, 2026Ohio Lead Licensing and Certification Guide
ODH lead license types, training requirements, fees, and application process. Inspector, risk assessor, abatement, and clearance.
Published Mar 25, 2026RCRA Hazardous Waste Generator Requirements - Ohio
Ohio hazardous waste generator categories, accumulation limits, manifesting, labeling, training, and biennial reporting requirements.
Published Mar 25, 2026Cleanup Levels vs. Screening Levels vs. MCLs - What's the Difference?
What MCLs, RSLs, PRGs, and state cleanup standards mean, where they come from, and when to use each one. A plain-language guide for environmental professionals.
Published Mar 23, 2026Indiana Vapor Intrusion Evaluation - Screening, Sampling, and Response Under the RCG
How vapor intrusion is evaluated at Indiana cleanup sites. Published Level screening, indoor air and soil gas sampling, and response actions.
Published Apr 24, 2026What Is a Phase II ESA? Scope, Sampling, and What to Expect
Phase II ESA scope, sampling, and results: when triggered by Phase I RECs, how borings are designed, and what contamination findings mean for a transaction.
Published Mar 29, 2026What Is a Phase I ESA? A Plain-Language Guide
What a Phase I ESA is, who needs one, what it covers, and what happens if contamination is found. For property buyers, lenders, and investors.
Published Mar 23, 2026BUSTR UST Closure Sampling - Assessment Requirements and Procedures
Ohio BUSTR closure assessment: sample locations, field screening, analytical groups, action levels, and reporting for UST removals. Sourced from the BUSTR TGM.
Published Mar 29, 2026Groundwater Elevation Measurement - Water Levels, Surveying, and Flow Direction
How to measure groundwater elevations, survey wells, calculate flow direction, and create potentiometric surface maps. For environmental consultants.
Published Mar 29, 2026Monitoring Well Installation - Design, Construction, and Completion
Monitoring well design and installation: diameter, screen selection, filter pack, annular seal, surface completion, and as-built documentation.
Published Mar 29, 2026Ohio Monitoring Well Sealing and Abandonment Requirements
When and how to properly abandon monitoring wells in Ohio. OAC 3745-9-03 requirements, sealing procedures, ODNR reporting, and liability considerations.
Published Mar 29, 2026Monitoring Well Development - Methods, Criteria, and Documentation
How to develop a monitoring well: surging, bailing, and pumping methods, turbidity and stabilization criteria, Ohio TGM requirements, and completion criteria.
Published Mar 29, 2026Bailer Groundwater Sampling - When to Use It and How to Do It Right
Field guide to bailer groundwater sampling. Covers proper technique, when bailers are appropriate, limitations, and common mistakes.
Published Mar 28, 2026Soil Sampling Techniques for Environmental Site Assessments
Field guide to soil sampling for Phase II ESAs. Covers direct push, hand auger, and hollow-stem auger techniques with sample handling by analyte group.
Published Mar 28, 2026Asbestos Air Monitoring During Abatement and Demolition
OSHA PEL, excursion limit, PCM air monitoring types, work classifications, hot demolition rules, and clearance sampling requirements.
Published Mar 25, 2026Asbestos Analytical Methods - PLM, Point Counting, TEM, and PCM
When to use PLM, 400-point count, TEM, gravimetric reduction, and PCM for asbestos analysis. Detection limits and practical guidance.
Published Mar 25, 2026Lead Paint Inspection and Risk Assessment Guide
XRF vs. paint chip sampling, HUD protocols, dust wipe standards, when inspections vs. risk assessments are required, and clearance testing.
Published Mar 25, 2026PFAS Sampling Best Practices - A Practical Field Guide
Step-by-step field procedures for collecting valid PFAS water and soil samples. Covers equipment, clothing restrictions, lab methods, and common mistakes.
Published Mar 22, 2026Low-Flow Groundwater Sampling - A Practical Field Guide
Step-by-step low-flow groundwater sampling guide for VOCs, metals, SVOCs, and PAHs. Equipment, calibration, purging, and common mistakes.
Updated Mar 22, 2026