In this episode, Ryan sits down with Rachel Peterson, Environmental Department Manager at AGW, to discuss the often-overlooked but critical role environmental consulting plays in land development.
Rachel walks through the phases of environmental assessments, Phase I, II, and III, and breaks down what each step involves. From reviewing old aerial photos to drilling into the ground to detect contamination, each phase helps developers avoid massive financial and legal problems. She shares real-world examples, including the risks of buying property without due diligence, like one client who unknowingly bought a site contaminated by a dry cleaner from the 1950s.
The conversation also explores how regulations like CERCLA shape what developers must do before buying or building on a piece of land. Rachel explains that contamination doesn’t always mean a site is unusable, many times, it just requires proper remediation. She outlines several cleanup methods, including digging out bad soil, pumping groundwater, and injecting compounds to treat contamination underground.
Finally, Rachel reflects on her leadership path and personal growth, offering advice for younger professionals, especially women, entering male-dominated fields. She also talks about her involvement in Ladies in Land and the Energy Leadership Institute, where she continues to support and learn from others in the field.
Non-Recourse Financing For Residential Lot Acquisition and Development. Learn more by visiting https://www.firstcontinental.com.
Ryan sits down with Peter Murphy Lewis to talk about how storytelling can help developers and builders attract better talent and build stronger teams. They break down simple, practical ways to use video and real stories to stand out in today’s labor market.
Keith Miller joins the show to talk about his focus on building attainably priced homes at scale in Montana, why he’s using factory-built housing, and what it really takes to bring new supply to fast-growing markets.
Ryan and Charles break down falling homebuyer demand, a heated TikTok debate on millennial housing choices, a proposed property tax hike in New York City, and what a shrinking U.S. population could mean for developers.