Preston County Farmland

Our team recently worked with the Preston County Farmland Protection Board (PCFPB) on two Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments (ESA). The PCFPB was created by the Preston County Commission in 2004 and is authorized under the Voluntary Farmland Protection Act, which the West Virginia legislature passed into law on March 10, 2000. The purpose of the PCFPB is to preserve farmland throughout Preston County with an incentive based program that purchases the sale of conservation easements from interested farm owners.

The PCFPB requested that Pickering Associates assist in their due diligence process for two farms that had applied for a Sale of Conservation Easement by performing two Phase 1 ESAs for the properties. Pickering’s Environmental Scientist, Jesse Daubert, assessed each property with the goal of identifying any recognized environmental conditions in accordance with ASTM Standard Practice E1527-13. This assessment included a site visit, topographical analysis, and historical research for each farm. The findings of the Phase 1 ESA were then issued to the PCFPB in two clear and precise reports.