Phase II · subsurface investigation
When the Phase I flags it, the Phase II answers it
Direct soil, groundwater, and vapor sampling for lenders, counsel, and buyers who need a Phase I REC resolved before closing.
Understanding Phase II
What is a Phase II investigation?
A Phase II Subsurface Investigation is the empirical answer to a Phase I’s question. Where the Phase I identifies the possibility of contamination through records and reconnaissance, the Phase II tests for it directly, collecting and analyzing physical samples from the property.
Every Phase II SAGE runs is engineered around the specific recognized environmental conditions flagged in the Phase I. No off-the-shelf sampling grids, no guess-and-check. Brenda has scoped Phase II investigations across the Intermountain West for over twenty years.
- years scoping Phase IIs
- 20+
- sampling media we scope
- 6
- laboratory analysis
- Licensed
- states of coverage
- 5
Sampling methods
Sampling methods we scope
01
Soil sampling
Hand auger, direct-push (Geoprobe-style), or hollow-stem auger drilling by depth and lithology, with discrete grab or composite samples per the data quality objective.
02
Groundwater sampling
Temporary well points, monitoring wells, or direct-push grab samples, depending on whether long-term monitoring is anticipated.
03
Soil vapor sampling
Sub-slab or near-source vapor probes where vapor intrusion is a credible pathway — increasingly required for chlorinated-solvent and certain petroleum sites.
04
Surface water & sediment
Sampling where receiving water bodies or stormwater pathways are part of the conceptual site model.
05
Indoor air sampling
Limited scope, typically when sub-slab vapor exceeds screening levels and an occupied building sits over the source.
06
Geophysical surveys
Locating buried tanks, drums, or other subsurface features before sampling begins.
Scope varies
Why Phase II scope varies so much
A Phase II for a former dry cleaner looks nothing like one for a fueling station, an agricultural chemical building, an old rail spur, a metal-finishing shop, or a historic mining parcel. The sampling methods, analyte list, lab panels, and even the lab itself change with the site.
That is why the scope conversation up front matters. SAGE designs the Phase II to answer the Phase I’s question — nothing more, nothing less — and sends a scope memo describing exactly what we would sample, how, and why.
How it works
Four steps from intake to closing.
Step 01
Submit your project details
Fill out our intake form with your property information and project needs.
Step 02
We review and respond
We’ll review your submission and follow up promptly to discuss scope, timeline, and pricing.
Step 03
We get to work
Our team conducts the assessment and delivers a thorough, ASTM-compliant report.
Step 04
You close with confidence
Use our findings to move forward in your transaction with full environmental clarity.
Next steps
Before and after a Phase II
Most Phase IIs start from a recognized environmental condition on a Phase I. When the sampling confirms contamination, a Phase III plans the cleanup and coordinates with regulators.
Common questions
Phase II — questions & answers
- Do I always need a Phase II after a Phase I?
- No. A Phase II is warranted when the Phase I identifies a recognized environmental condition that a lender, counsel, or buyer wants resolved before closing.
- What does a Phase II sample?
- Depending on the REC: soil, groundwater, and soil vapor, and sometimes surface water, sediment, or indoor air. The plan is built around the specific concern, not a generic grid.
- How are scope and fee set?
- From three inputs: the RECs in the Phase I, the property’s physical characteristics, and the regulatory program governing the site. We send a scope memo before any fieldwork.
- What do I receive?
- A Phase II report an attorney, lender, or buyer can act on — every sample mapped, every result tabulated against applicable screening levels, with clear conclusions and next steps.
Request a quote
Ready to move on
your environmental scope?
Share the property address or parcel number and your timeline. We’ll reply within one business day with scope, fee, and a target delivery date.
Project intake