When a property is conveyed from one entity to another it’s always a good idea to have an ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment done. If there is residual contamination on the purchased property, the ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment allows an entity to claim the “Innocent Landowner’s Defense”. In conducting a Phase I assessment the environmental professional examines the history of the site and determines if there is cause to suspect a past release or threat of a release of a hazardous substance or petroleum product. The CNEP has done this service for other departments within the Cherokee Nation and for other tribes.