Environmental Lien Search Checklist

ENVIRONMENTAL LIEN SEARCH CHECKLIST

PART I: PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION

A. Subject Property Information

Property Address:
Street: [________________________________]
City: [________________________________]
State: [____] ZIP Code: [__________]
County: [________________________________]

Legal Description:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Parcel Number(s)/Tax ID(s): [________________________________]

Property Size: [________________________________] acres/square feet

Current Owner:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City: [________________________________] State: [____] ZIP: [__________]

B. Transaction Information

Purpose of Search:
☐ Property Acquisition
☐ Refinancing
☐ Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
☐ All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) Compliance
☐ Due Diligence for Lending
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Transaction Type:
☐ Purchase
☐ Lease
☐ Foreclosure
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Anticipated Closing/Transaction Date: [__/__/____]
Search Completion Deadline: [__/__/____]

C. Requesting Party

Name: [________________________________]
Company: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Phone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Buyer ☐ Seller ☐ Lender ☐ Environmental Consultant ☐ Attorney ☐ Other

PART II: FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL LIEN SEARCH

A. CERCLA Superfund Lien (42 U.S.C. § 9607(l))

Search Location: County Recorder/Register of Deeds
County: [________________________________]

Search Conducted: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Searched By: [________________________________]

Search Results:
☐ No CERCLA Superfund lien found
☐ CERCLA lien found (attach documentation)

• Recording Date: [__/__/____]
• Recording Number: [________________________________]
• Lien Amount: $[________________]
• EPA Region: [____]
• Site Name: [________________________________]

Notes:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

B. EPA Superfund Site Search

NPL (National Priorities List) Search:
☐ Search Conducted via EPA SEMS database
☐ Date of Search: [__/__/____]

Results:
☐ Property is not on the NPL
☐ Property is on the NPL

• Site Name: [________________________________]
• EPA ID: [________________________________]
• NPL Status: [________________________________]
  ☐ Property is within 1 mile of NPL site: [________________________________]

CERCLIS/SEMS Database Search:
☐ Search Conducted
☐ Date of Search: [__/__/____]

Results:
☐ No listing found
☐ Property listed in database

• Site Name: [________________________________]
• Status: [________________________________]

PART III: STATE ENVIRONMENTAL LIEN SEARCH

A. State Superfund/Environmental Cleanup Lien

State: [________________________________]
Applicable State Statute: [________________________________]

State Agency: [________________________________]
Search Location: [________________________________]

Search Conducted: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Searched By: [________________________________]

Search Results:
☐ No state environmental lien found
☐ State environmental lien found (attach documentation)

• Recording Date: [__/__/____]
• Recording Number: [________________________________]
• Lien Amount: $[________________]
• Program: [________________________________]
• Site Name: [________________________________]

B. State Brownfield/Voluntary Cleanup Program

Search Location: State Environmental Agency

Search Conducted: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Date of Search: [__/__/____]

Results:
☐ Property not enrolled in VCP/Brownfield program
☐ Property enrolled in VCP/Brownfield program

• Program Name: [________________________________]
• Site ID: [________________________________]
• Status: [________________________________]
• Activity and Use Limitations: ☐ Yes ☐ No

C. Underground Storage Tank (UST) Lien

State UST Program Searched: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Date of Search: [__/__/____]

Results:
☐ No UST lien found
☐ UST lien found

• Recording Date: [__/__/____]
• Amount: $[________________]
• Tank ID(s): [________________________________]

UST Registration Status:
☐ No registered USTs
☐ Registered USTs on property

• Number of Tanks: [____]
• Status: ☐ Active ☐ Closed ☐ Temporarily Closed

PART IV: ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATIONS (AULs) SEARCH

A. Institutional Controls

Types of Institutional Controls Searched:

☐ Environmental Covenants (UECA)
Search Location: County Recorder
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Results: ☐ None Found ☐ Found (attach documentation)

☐ Deed Restrictions
Search Location: County Recorder
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Results: ☐ None Found ☐ Found (attach documentation)

☐ Easements (Environmental)
Search Location: County Recorder
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Results: ☐ None Found ☐ Found (attach documentation)

☐ Groundwater Use Restrictions
Search Location: [________________________________]
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Results: ☐ None Found ☐ Found (attach documentation)

☐ Zoning Restrictions (Environmental)
Search Location: Local Zoning/Planning Office
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Results: ☐ None Found ☐ Found (attach documentation)

☐ Well Drilling Prohibitions
Search Location: [________________________________]
Date of Search: [__/__/____]
Results: ☐ None Found ☐ Found (attach documentation)

B. Engineering Controls Documentation

Types of Engineering Controls Identified:
☐ Cap/Cover System
☐ Soil Vapor Extraction System
☐ Groundwater Treatment System
☐ Barrier Wall
☐ Building Vapor Intrusion Mitigation
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Documentation Located:
☐ Operation and Maintenance Agreement
☐ Long-term Stewardship Agreement
☐ Financial Assurance Documentation
☐ Monitoring Requirements

PART V: DATABASE SEARCH REQUIREMENTS (ASTM E1527-21)

A. Standard Environmental Record Sources

Federal Sources:
| Database | Search Radius | Date Searched | Results |
|----------|--------------|---------------|---------|
| NPL (National Priorities List) | 1 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| CERCLIS/SEMS | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| RCRA CORRACTS | 1 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| RCRA non-CORRACTS TSD | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| RCRA Generators | Property only | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| ERNS (Emergency Response) | Property only | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| Institutional Controls | Property only | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |

State Sources:
| Database | Search Radius | Date Searched | Results |
|----------|--------------|---------------|---------|
| State NPL Equivalent | 1 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| State CERCLIS Equivalent | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| Landfill/Solid Waste | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| Leaking UST (LUST) | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| Registered UST | Property + adjoining | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| State Brownfields | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| State Voluntary Cleanup | 0.5 mile | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |
| Dry Cleaners | Property only | [__/__/____] | ☐ Hit ☐ No Hit |

B. Additional State Sources (as applicable)

PART VI: LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECORD SEARCH

A. County Recorder/Register of Deeds

County: [________________________________]
Date of Search: [__/__/____]

Records Searched:
☐ Property Deeds (current and historical)
☐ Environmental Liens
☐ Environmental Covenants
☐ Deed Restrictions
☐ Easements
☐ Lis Pendens (environmental litigation)
☐ Judgments

Index Searched: ☐ Grantor ☐ Grantee ☐ Tract/Parcel

Search Period: [__/__/____] to [__/__/____]

B. Local Agency Records

Building Department:
☐ Building Permits Reviewed
☐ Certificate of Occupancy Reviewed
☐ Code Violations: ☐ None ☐ Found: [________________________________]

Fire Department:
☐ Hazardous Materials Permits
☐ UST Permits
☐ Fire Inspection Records

Health Department:
☐ Septic System Permits
☐ Well Permits
☐ Health Violations

PART VII: SEARCH RESULTS SUMMARY

A. Environmental Liens Identified

B. Activity and Use Limitations Identified

C. Database Hits Requiring Further Evaluation

PART VIII: ASTM E1527-21 COMPLIANCE NOTES

A. Shelf Life Requirements

Per ASTM E1527-21:

• Environmental lien search must be conducted within 180 days prior to property acquisition
• The 180-day period begins from the earliest component completion date

Component Completion Dates:
| Component | Date Completed |
|-----------|---------------|
| Environmental Lien Search | [__/__/____] |
| Site Reconnaissance | [__/__/____] |
| Interviews | [__/__/____] |
| Records Review | [__/__/____] |
| Database Search | [__/__/____] |

Earliest Component Date: [__/__/____]
180-Day Expiration: [__/__/____]

B. User Responsibilities

Per ASTM E1527-21, the following are User responsibilities (not EP responsibilities unless contracted):
☐ Environmental lien search
☐ AUL search
☐ Specialized knowledge inquiry
☐ Commonly known information
☐ Valuation reduction inquiry
☐ Owner/occupant information request

PART IX: RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Findings Assessment

Overall Risk Assessment:
☐ Low Risk - No significant environmental liens or AULs identified
☐ Moderate Risk - Some items identified requiring further review
☐ High Risk - Significant environmental encumbrances identified

B. Recommended Actions

☐ Proceed with transaction - no environmental liens found
☐ Obtain additional information on identified items:
[________________________________]
☐ Require lien release/subordination prior to closing
☐ Negotiate purchase price adjustment
☐ Require indemnification provisions
☐ Obtain environmental insurance
☐ Consult environmental counsel regarding:
[________________________________]
☐ Phase II ESA recommended
☐ Other: [________________________________]

PART X: CERTIFICATION

Search Certification

I certify that the environmental lien search documented herein was conducted in accordance with the requirements of ASTM E1527-21 and applicable professional standards. The information contained in this report is accurate to the best of my knowledge based on the records searched.

Search Conducted By:
Name: [________________________________]
Title: [________________________________]
Company: [________________________________]
Phone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

Signature: [________________________________]

STATE-SPECIFIC NOTES

California

• California Health and Safety Code § 25395.10 provides for state environmental liens
• DTSC recorded liens searchable through Secretary of State and County Recorder
• California Geotracker database for cleanup sites
• EnviroStor database for hazardous waste facilities
• Additional CEQA documentation may be relevant

Texas

• TCEQ maintains registry of contaminated sites
• State environmental liens under Texas Health and Safety Code
• Central Registry for state liens searchable through TCEQ
• Innocent Owner/Operator Program provisions
• Dry Cleaner Remediation Program sites

Florida

• Florida Statutes Chapter 376 provides for environmental liens
• FDEP Contamination Locator Map
• Site file reviews through FDEP
• Petroleum Cleanup Program sites
• Brownfield Program designations

New York

• NYSDEC environmental lien provisions
• Environmental Site Remediation Database
• Brownfield Cleanup Program database
• State Superfund Program sites
• Spill database for petroleum and chemical releases

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• ASTM E1527-21 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments
• EPA Brownfields AAI Final Rule (40 CFR Part 312)
• EPA SEMS Database: https://www.epa.gov/enviro/sems-search
• State environmental agency databases (varies by state)

This template is provided for general informational purposes. Environmental lien searches should be conducted by qualified professionals as part of comprehensive environmental due diligence. Always consult with environmental counsel regarding the legal implications of identified environmental encumbrances.