THE DIRT: Property Disclosures

How do you know if a property is safe from environmental hazards when you purchase it? In most communities, you would not. To make that determination, a property owner would have to pay to have a Phase 1 environmental audit performed, which can be a burdensome expense. One of the benefits of living within the Bunker Hill Superfund Site (BHSS) is that procedures are in place to maintain environmental records on properties within the site and to make those records available free of cost. The BHSS is a geographic region that was impacted by lead and other heavy metals from historic mining, milling, and smelting practices. Sampling for heavy metals within the site began in the 1980s, with cleanup efforts beginning in 1986.

Cleanup measures for the BHSS are unique because contamination is so widespread and so deep in some areas that total removals could not be completed. Rather, partial removals were performed, and clean barriers ranging in depths from six to twelve inches were installed over the remaining contaminants. Because the success of this cleanup depends on the protection of these fragile barriers, the Institutional Controls Program (ICP) was established under Panhandle Health District to oversee the installation and maintenance of these barriers as well as general dirt disturbance activities. The ICP also maintains records for all superfund-related data collected at the BHSS. This data includes soil sample results, records of any remedial actions taken on a property, copies of any ICP permits issued for that property, and additional helpful information.

Having a local ICP allows our communities to conduct commerce and sell properties without the requirement of environmental audits, a cost that private property owners would bear. Property owners are legally responsible for maintaining the depth and integrity of their barriers, so recording any disturbance is essential for documentation. If a property is listed for sale, a copy of all permits and records are provided to the potential buyers. If there have been changes to the property without the proper documentation, this could hold up or impact the sale. Dirt disturbance activities not permitted or inspected can result in compromised barriers. Compromised barriers create a health risk for residents, especially for children and pregnant women. Sellers, realtors, and landlords are legally required to provide property disclosures that detail information about a property’s barriers and provide a record of documented dirt disturbance activities. Disclosures are free of charge and can easily be requested online at https://cdabasin.idaho.gov/real-estate-property-disclosures/.

The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies, including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.