Know what's in the ground before you close.
Environmental due diligence, site investigation, and compliance support — rooted in Michigan, grounded in experience. We help property owners, developers, and their advisors move from uncertainty to clarity.
Whether you're acquiring a commercial property, navigating contamination discovered during due diligence, or managing ongoing compliance obligations — the path forward starts with knowing exactly where you stand.
From property transaction to long-term stewardship.
Four service areas, scoped to your situation — whether you need a Phase I to close a deal or a multi-year strategy to manage an active site.
Due Diligence
Comprehensive assessments to minimize liability and inform decisions during property transactions.
- Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments
- Baseline Environmental Assessments
- Documentation of Due Care Compliance
Site Characterization
Detailed investigations to assess site risks and inform next steps in your project.
- Soil, groundwater, soil gas & indoor air sampling
- Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA)
- Conceptual Site Models (CSMs)
Corrective Action
Targeted solutions to address contamination and restore sites to productive use.
- Exposure scenario evaluation (RBCA)
- Feasibility studies & remedial alternatives
- Remedial oversight
- Land use & resource restrictions
Compliance Support
Sound strategies to maintain compliance and manage long-term environmental risk.
- Permitting & regulatory reporting
- Due Care Response Activity planning
- Ongoing monitoring & reporting
- Compliance strategy & agency coordination
Know what you're signing up for.
A practical guide to environmental due diligence in Michigan.
Disciplined process. Defensible work product.
Every engagement follows the same rigorous methodology — the kind that holds up under regulatory scrutiny, lender review, and the questions you haven't thought to ask yet.
Scope
We start with your decision points — closing date, funding requirements, regulatory deadlines — and scope to fit.
Investigate
Standards-compliant fieldwork and research, with expanded sources where the standard ones fall short.
Analyze
Findings evaluated against ASTM, EGLE, and federal frameworks — translated into clear conclusions.
Deliver
A report your team can act on, your counsel can defend, and your lender can approve.
Recent projects, real outcomes.
A look at how each engagement plays out — the property, the question, the work, the answer.
Phase I ESA for a federally-funded public project.
A property in Northern Michigan was evaluated as part of a federally funded project. The site is located near a historical railroad corridor and required environmental due diligence to support funding eligibility.
- Environmental review required for federal funding eligibility
- Proximity to potential historical railroad operations
- Limited standard historical resources available for portions of the site history
Phase I ESA conducted in accordance with ASTM E1527-21, including:
- Expanded historical research beyond standard sources
- Coordination with local historical resources to supplement site history
- Regulatory database evaluation and agency file review
- Site reconnaissance and stakeholder coordination
- No evidence of on-site releases identified
- Data gaps addressed through supplemental historical research
- No Recognized Environmental Conditions identified; no further investigation recommended
Dunecrest Environmental prepared a thorough Phase I ESA report that has facilitated the work of other consultants for our project. We are pleased with the quality of their work, their responsiveness, and their promptness. We would be happy to recommend Dunecrest Environmental to other potential clients.
Phase I ESA for a commercial acquisition in a mixed-use corridor.
A commercial property in a mixed-use corridor in Northern Michigan was evaluated prior to acquisition. The site included historical automotive-related use and was located near multiple properties with known petroleum releases.
- Historic automotive-related use suggested potential petroleum handling
- Nearby properties included gas stations and underground storage tanks
- The corridor contained multiple regulatory listings for petroleum releases
Phase I ESA conducted in accordance with ASTM E1527-21, including:
- Historical review (including Sanborn maps)
- Regulatory database evaluation
- Site reconnaissance and interviews
- Groundwater flow and migration pathway assessment
- No evidence of on-site releases identified
- Off-site impacts evaluated; no migration pathway affecting the property identified
- No Recognized Environmental Conditions identified; no further investigation recommended
Good work speaks for itself.
Michigan
Dunecrest wasn't born out of a business plan.
It was built on long days in the field, collecting samples, and working through the unexpected. It grew from time behind the desk coordinating with clients and regulators, managing budgets and schedules, writing reports, and guiding projects from kickoff to closure.
We focus on environmental due diligence, site investigation, corrective action, and compliance support — the projects where the conditions aren't always clean or concise, and where careful, informed work can make all the difference.
We work across Michigan, with deep roots up North. This isn't consulting built in a vacuum. It's drawn from field notes, sample logs, regulator calls, and project debriefs — shaped by the places we've worked and the people we've met along the way.
Built on defensible standards — not improvisation.
Every report we deliver is anchored to the regulatory framework and guidance your stakeholders already trust.
Phase I Assessments
ASTM E1527-21 · All Appropriate Inquiries
Phase II Investigations
ASTM E1903-19
EGLE & EPA Guidance
Current state and federal regulatory direction.
Current Industry Standards
Best available science · defensible methodology.
Have a closing date, a compliance deadline, or a question about your site?
Send a quick note about your property, project, or compliance situation. We'll respond with a scope, timeline, and estimate — usually within one business day.
Traverse City, MI 49684
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