Financial Lending
Castilaw Environmental Services, LLC (CES) has built a strong & well-regarded reputation for providing comprehensive environmental due diligence services within the commercial real estate, agricultural, & renewable energy sectors. CES boasts a proven track record in handling a variety of loan programs including U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) [7 (a) & 504] and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) [REAP, 9003, B&I, WEP, & CF], as well as conventional direct loans.
Services
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Records Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA)
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Environmental Transaction Screen (ETS)
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Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) (ASTM E1527-21)
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Transaction Screen (ASTM E1528-22)
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Environmental Report (ER) for Categorical Exclusion (CE)
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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Multi-Agency Coordination & Consultation
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Custom Institution/Industry-Specific Report
While implementing proper environmental due diligence can be complex & time-consuming, CES excels at navigating it & has established robust relationships with relevant government agencies, thereby streamlining processes & preventing delays. From commercial real estate to rural agricultural loans, our team has extensive experience working with lenders & we understand the intricacies & uniqueness of each loan.
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Contact us today to learn more about our environmental due diligence services & how we can help you secure the funding you need while minimizing risk & satisfying regulatory and/or in-house requirements.
Environmental Due Diligence & Lending
Environmental due diligence is the process of assessing real estate for the presence, or threat of, environmental risks including soil or groundwater contamination & the potential for contamination to migrate to collateral property.
Undisclosed environmental problems pose significant challenges, particularly for lenders. The discovery of contamination within a collateral property can substantially diminish its value, exposing the lender to financial risk & potential environmental liability for remediation.
Government Guaranteed Loans
SBA Loan Programs [7(a) & 504]
The Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) 50 10 governs environmental due diligence required for each loan application. The type of environmental investigation & detail required varies with the estimated “risk of contamination” & includes numerous determining factors including loan type, loan amount, & North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code.
USDA Rural Development Loan Programs [REAP, 9003, B&I, WEP, & CF]
USDA is bound by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to document & disclose their consideration of the environmental impact that a proposed action will have & compliance is a critical component of any project involving federal funding, permits, or approvals. The level of environmental review required depends on the size of the project & the potential for significant individual or cumulative effects on the environment. Compliance with NEPA includes multi-agency coordination & consultation.
Conventional Loans
Conventional loans do not rely on federal funding sources. As a result, the extent of environmental investigation carried out is determined by the individual financial institution. Catering to specific environmental needs & preferences requires a knowledgeable & adaptable environmental firm. CES is well-rounded & well versed at creating custom reports that guarantee thorough environmental due diligence for every loan. Regardless of the level of review, CES delivers prompt & practical service.