In the recent past, many agricultural properties were converted to residential subdivisions, and commercial and industrial parks. Unfortunately, not all of the transactions had adequate environmental assessments. Agricultural properties, such as citrus groves, crop farms, flower farms, orchards, tree farms, cotton fields, etc. usually involve hundreds if not thousands of acres. The main concern in the cultivated areas is the possible past application of long-lasting pesticides that could potentially impact soil and groundwater. These pesticides include compounds such as DDT, Chlordane, Toxaphene, Aldrin, and their breakdown products. Additionally Arsenic compounds were also applied as a pesticide, and Arsenic was routinely used on crops such as grapefruit to speed up the yellowing of the fruit to enhance its marketability. Arsenic is a metal, and Chlorinated Pesticides have strong chemical bonds that are resistant to total decomposition. Because these compounds are long-lasting and can have deleterious effects on humans and the environment including carcinogenic characteristics, the cleanup levels are set at very low tolerances.

Many former agricultural properties are unrecognizable as such. The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment provides documentation on the history of a property. If a property is identified as former or current agriculture, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment involving soil and groundwater testing would usually be necessary.

In addition to possible past application of long-lasting pesticides in cultivated areas, impacts may include chemical storage areas, equipment and vehicle maintenance sheds, pesticide mixing areas, and diesel tanks serving pumping facilities should be addressed.

Pesticides were not aggressively applied on pastures; however, some had contained dipping vats. These were structures or depressions where water was mixed with pesticides, Arsenic, and other compounds. Cattle were exposed to the chemical bath as they walked through the dipping vat in order to kill mites, ticks, and other parasites. Although dipping vats are no longer in use, potential impact could occur from spreading of these compounds either by surface discharges or groundwater migration in an area outside of the dipping vat.

Transactions involving agricultural property without adequate environmental assessments could result in severe problems for the owner. There would be liability for cleanup if later assessments showed soil and/or groundwater contamination. Of equal importance is the public relations aspect of finding hazardous compounds after the property has been developed and built out. This could result in real or imaginary illnesses with consequences of remarkable proportions.

If contamination issues are unknown or unresolved, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment on the agricultural area involving soil and groundwater testing should be conducted.

If environmental assessments detect contamination before site development, there are options. Total cleanup is one alternative, but new federal and state policies also allow for limited cleanup as long as direct exposure to the contaminants is avoided through conditions that include engineering and institutional controls.