Modern Real Estate Practice in Pennsylvania 14th Edition Unit 3

Modern Real Estate Practice in Pennsylvania (14th Edition) Unit 3 Flashcards Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)The movement of electrical currents, especially noticeable around high-voltage lines, secondary transmission lines, and transformers, that some people assert is a health hazard.Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)An evaluation of property to show that due care was exercised in the determination of environmental impairments.GroundwaterWater that exists under the earth's surface within the tiny spaces or crevices in geological formations.ArsenicA natural element found in water, soil, air, and has been linked to several types of cancer.Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) A law administered by the Environmental Protection Agency that established a process for identifying waste sites, forcing liable parties to clean up toxic sites, bringing legal action against responsible parties, and funding the abatement of toxic sites.Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)A statement that details the impact a project will have on the environment.Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)An amendatory statute that contains stronger cleanup standards for contaminated sites, increased funding for Superfund, and clarifications of lender liability and innocent landowner immunity.EncapsulationA method of controlling environmental contamination by sealing off a dangerous substance.FrackingThe process used to extract natural gas from the deep layers of rock in which it is embedded.LeadAn element found in oil based paint and plumbing systems that when ingested insufficient quantities overtime compose significant health problems. Real estate licensees and certain others are required to comply with the federal residential lead-based paint, hazard reduction act when dealing with housing constructed before1978.Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)Used as an insulating material in dielectric oil. It can linger in the environment for long periods of time and can cause health problems.MoldA form of fungus that can be found almost anywhere and can grow on almost any organic substance, so long as moisture, oxygen, and an organic food source are present.Mold growth can gradually destroy what it is growing on as well as cause serious health problems.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)A colorless, odorless gas that occurs as a natural by-product of combustion that in high concentrations can cause serious health problems and even death.Malfunctioning or improperly ventilated fuel-burning equipment (furnaces, stoves, and fireplaces) are often the culprits.RadonA naturally occurring gas that is suspected of posing a health hazard, especially causing lung cancer.AsbestosA mineral once used in insulation and other materials that can cause respiratory diseases.Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act Federal legislation allowing certain contaminated industrial or commercial properties to become economically viable by allowing prospective purchasers and their lenders relief from liability for past contamination that they did not cause.Also known as the Brownfields Act.FormaldehydeA colorless chemical air pollutant used to manufacture building materials and many household products, such as particleboard, hardwood plywood paneling, and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation.Underground Storage Tanks (USTs)Commonly found on sites where petroleum products are used or where gas stations and auto repair shops are located, and subject to federal and state regulations. In residential areas, tanks are used to store heating oil. Over time, neglected tanks may leak hazardous substances into the environment.BrownfieldsContaminated properties that have long sat idle because of significant pollution associated with their prior industrial use.Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) Insulating foam that can release harmful formaldehyde gases.Water TableThe natural level at which the ground is saturated. The water table may be several hundred feet underground or near the surface.Cholorofluorocarbons (CFCs)Nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators. CFCs are safe in applications but cause ozone depletion.