What is a controlled recognized environmental condition (CREC)?
A controlled REC is a past release that was addressed to a regulator's satisfaction, but with contamination allowed to remain under controls, such as a ban on residential use, a cap, or a limit on groundwater wells.
In more detail
Under ASTM E1527-21, a CREC is still a REC. The cleanup is done in the regulator's eyes, but only as long as the controls are kept.
Controls can be legal (a recorded deed restriction or environmental covenant) or physical (a concrete cap, a vapor barrier, monitoring wells).
What it means when you buy
A CREC means you inherit duties. You may not be able to change the use, dig, or drill a well without approval, and you may have to maintain a cap or system. Read the recorded controls before you price a redevelopment.
How the pre-screen handles it
The pre-screen reports closed cleanup cases on and near the site with their status, so you can see if a case closed with controls and should be checked further.
Pre-screen a property before you spend on a Phase I
A desk review of one address: past uses from historical photos and maps, federal and state environmental records, and flood risk, ready usually within the hour. $100 for one report, or $100/month for 3.