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Hazardous Materials <br />Site Categories <br />Hazardous material sites within the study areas fall into two categories, based on whether a <br />release to the environment has been documented or is considered a potential threat. <br />Documented Release Sites <br />Documented releases of hazardous materials to the environment, identified in regulatory agency <br />site files, directly affect soil and ground water. Releases to soil generally are limited in lateral <br />extent and thus can result in potential impacts when found on the proposed project site. Releases <br />to ground water tend to extend farther away from the area of origin, and such releases can <br />potentially result in impacts even when the source is located beyond the project site boundaries. <br />Potential Release Sites <br />A potential for release of hazardous materials is identified based on the site activity registered <br />with regulatory agencies, the development of site activities evident from historical <br />documentation (e.g., a foundry site that became a service station and then was developed for an <br />office building), or the current activity evident from visual observation (e.g., a junk yard). <br />Potential release sites have had no reported release of hazardous substances. <br />Known and Potential Hazardous Material Sites <br />Sites identified as either reportedly having, or with a potential for, a release of hazardous <br />materials to the environment are summarized below. Review of regulatory files for sites with <br />reported releases identified the extent of contamination, determined through past site <br />characterization efforts. Recorded releases to soil only also may have affected ground water, but <br />ground water may not have been investigated. <br />Potential release sites were identified based on the following categories: <br />^ Reported current activities (e.g., hazardous waste generator) <br />^ Reported current features (e.g., registered underground storage tanks) <br />^ Recorded historical activities (e.g., mapped "oil and gas" designation) <br />f~ <br />^ Recorded historical features (e.g., mapped tank farm) <br />^ Visually identified activity or feature. <br />Sites with potential for releases have not been characterized and may or may not have soil or <br />ground water contamination. Sites of the highest concern include documented release sites <br />located either on properties planned for construction (defined by building footprint) or other <br />development {i.e., surface parking or landscaping). <br />New Federal Courthouse 99 Final EIS <br />