ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION Each environmental service provided by the Engineer shall have a deliverable. Deliverables shall summarize the methods used for the environmental services, and shall summarize the results achieved. The summary of results shall be sufficiently detailed to provide satisfactory basis for thorough review by the State, The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and (where applicable) agencies with regulatory oversight. All deliverables shall meet regulatory requirements for legal sufficiency, and shall adhere to the requirements for reports enumerated in the State’s NEPA MOU.
a. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Review For each deliverable, the Engineer shall perform quality assurance quality control (QA/QC) reviews of environmental documents and on other supporting environmental documentation to determine whether documents conform with:
1) Current Environmental Compliance Toolkit guidance published by the State’s Environmental Affairs Division and in effect as of the date of receipt of the documents or documentation to be reviewed;
2) Current state and federal laws, regulations, policies, guidance, agreements, and memoranda of understanding between the State and other state or federal agencies; and
3) FHWA and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines contained in “Improving the Quality of Environmental Documents, A Report of the Joint AASHTO and American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Committee in Cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration” (May 2006) for: DocuSign Envelope ID: F9E4AA24-4672-4529-8EFA-00D1CA218520
a) Readability, and
b) Use of evidence and data in documents to support conclusions. Upon request by the State, the Engineer shall provide documentation that the QA/QC reviews were performed by qualified staff.
b. Deliverables shall contain all data acquired during the environmental service. All deliverables shall be written to be understood by the public and must be in accordance with the State’s Environmental Toolkit guidance, documentation standards, current guidelines, policies and procedures.
c. Electronic versions of each deliverable must be written in software which is compatible to the State and must be provided in a changeable format for future use by the State. The Engineer shall supplement all hard copy deliverables with electronic copies in searchable Adobe Acrobat™ (.pdf) format, unless another format is specified. Each deliverable shall be a single, searchable .pdf file that mirrors the layout and appearance of the physical deliverable. The Engineer shall deliver the electronic files on CD-R, CD-RW media in Microsoft Windows format, or through the ftp site.
d. When the environmental service is to apply for a permit (e.g., United States Coast Guard (USCG) or United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the permit and all supporting documentation shall be the deliverable.
e. Submission of Deliverables
1) Deliverables shall consist of reports of environmental services performed in addition to a Categorical Exclusion (CE) determination form and supporting documentation including the required form or Environmental Assessment (EA) document, when applicable.
2) All deliverables must comply with all applicable state and federal environmental laws, regulations and procedures and include all items listed in the Environmental Document Review Checklist and the Administrative Completeness Review Checklist.
3) On the cover page of each environmental assessment (EA), finding of no significant impact (XXXXX), environmental impact statement (EIS), and record of decision (ROD) prepared under the authority granted by this MOU, and for any memorandum corresponding to any CE determination it makes, the Engineer shall insert the following language in a way that is conspicuous to the reader or include it in a CE project record: "The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable DocuSign Envelope ID: F9E4AA24-4672-4529-8EFA-00D1CA218520 Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 16, 2014, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT."
f. The State shall provide the State’s and other agency comments on draft deliverables to the Engineer. The Engineer shall revise the deliverable:
1) to include any State commitments, findings, agreements, or determinations (e.g., wetlands, endangered species consultation, Section 106, or Section 4(f)), required for the Transportation Activity as specified by the State;
2) to incorporate the results of public involvement and agency coordination;
3) to reflect mitigation measures resulting from comments received or changes in the Transportation Activity; and
4) include with the revised document a comment response form (matrix) in the format provided by the State.
g. All photographs shall be 3.5” x 5” color presentation printed on matte finish photographic paper or 3.5” x 5” color presentation printed on matte white, premium or photo quality laser or inkjet paper. All photographs shall be well focused and clearly depict details relevant to an evaluation of the project area. Provision of photographs shall be one original print of each image or electronic presentations of comparable quality. Comparable quality electronic photograph presentations shall be at least 1200 x 1600 pixel resolution. Photographs shall be attached to separately labeled pages that clearly identify project name, project identification (ID) number, address or Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) of resource, description of the picture and direction of the photographic view. In addition to the hard-copy prints, an electronic version of each will be submitted with the same identification information as the hard-copy.
Preparation of Environmental Reports At the request of the Administrative Agent from time to time if the Administrative Agent reasonably suspects the presence of any Hazardous Materials on any property of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, provide to the Administrative Agent within sixty (60) days after such request, at the expense of the Borrower, an environmental site assessment report for any Specified Real Estate described in such request, prepared by a nationally recognized environmental consulting firm (or other environmental consulting firm reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent), indicating the presence or absence of Hazardous Materials and the estimated cost of any compliance, removal or remedial action in connection with any Hazardous Materials on such properties; without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent determines at any time that a material risk exists that any such report will not be provided within the time referred to above, the Administrative Agent may retain an environmental consulting firm to prepare such report at the expense of the Borrower, and such Loan Party hereby grants and agrees to cause any Subsidiary that owns any property described in such request to grant at the time of such request to the Administrative Agent, such firm and any agents or representatives thereof an irrevocable non-exclusive license, subject to the rights of tenants, to enter onto their respective properties to undertake such an assessment.
Environmental Monitoring (a) Borrower shall give prompt written notice to Lender of (i) any proceeding or inquiry by any party (including any Governmental Authority) with respect to the presence of any Hazardous Substance on, under, from or about the Property, (ii) all claims made or threatened by any third party (including any Governmental Authority) against Borrower or the Property or any party occupying the Property relating to any loss or injury resulting from any Hazardous Substance, and (iii) Borrower’s discovery of any occurrence or condition on any real property adjoining or in the vicinity of the Property that could cause the Property to be subject to any investigation or cleanup pursuant to any Environmental Law. Upon becoming aware of the presence of mold or fungus at the Property, Borrower shall (i) undertake an investigation to identify the source(s) of such mold or fungus and, to the extent required by applicable law, shall develop and implement an appropriate remediation plan to eliminate the presence of any Toxic Mold, (ii) perform or cause to be performed all acts reasonably necessary for the remediation of any Toxic Mold (including taking any action necessary to clean and disinfect any portions of the Property affected by Toxic Mold, including providing any necessary moisture control systems at the Property), and (iii) provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to Lender of the foregoing. Borrower shall permit Lender to join and participate in, as a party if it so elects, any legal or administrative proceedings or other actions initiated with respect to the Property in connection with any Environmental Law or Hazardous Substance, and Borrower shall pay all reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements incurred by Lender in connection therewith.
(b) If Lender, on its good faith judgment, determines that reasonable cause exists for the performance of an environmental inspection or audit of the Property, at any time and from time to time upon Lender’s request, Borrower shall provide such inspection or audit of the Property prepared by a licensed hydrogeologist, licensed environmental engineer or qualified environmental consulting firm approved by Lender assessing the presence or absence of Hazardous Substances on, in or near the Property, and if Lender in its good faith judgment determines that reasonable cause exists for the performance of such environmental inspection or audit, then the cost and expense of such audit or inspection shall be paid by Borrower. Such inspections and audit may include soil borings and ground water monitoring. If Borrower fails to provide any such inspection or audit within thirty (30) days after such request, Lender may order same, and Borrower hereby grants to Lender and its employees and agents access to the Property and a license to undertake such inspection or audit.
(c) If any environmental site assessment report prepared in connection with such inspection or audit recommends that an operations and maintenance plan be implemented for any Hazardous Substance, whether such Hazardous Substance existed prior to the ownership of the Property by Borrower, or presently exists or is reasonably suspected of existing, Borrower shall cause such operations and maintenance plan to be prepared and implemented at its expense upon request of Lender, to the extent required by applicable law, and with respect to any Toxic Mold, Borrower shall, to the extent required by applicable law, take all action necessary to clean and disinfect any portions of the Improvements affected by Toxic Mold in or about the Improvements, including providing any necessary moisture control systems at the Property. If any investigation, site monitoring, containment, cleanup, removal, restoration or other work of any kind is reasonably necessary under an applicable Environmental Law (“Remedial Work”), Borrower shall commence all such Remedial Work within thirty (30) days after written demand by Lender and thereafter diligently prosecute to completion all such Remedial Work within such period of time as may be required under applicable law. All Remedial Work shall be performed by licensed contractors approved in advance by Lender and under the supervision of a consulting engineer approved by Lender which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. All costs of such Remedial Work shall be paid by Borrower, including Lender’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements incurred in connection with the monitoring or review of such Remedial Work. If Borrower does not timely commence and diligently prosecute to completion the Remedial Work, Lender may (but shall not be obligated to) cause such Remedial Work to be performed at Borrower’s expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Borrower shall not be required to commence such Remedial Work within the above specified time period: (x) if prevented from doing so by any Governmental Authority, (y) if commencing such Remedial Work within such time period would result in Borrower or such Remedial Work violating any Environmental Law, or (z) if Borrower, at its expense and after prior written notice to Lender, is contesting by appropriate legal, administrative or other proceedings, conducted in good faith and with due diligence, the need to perform Remedial Work. Borrower shall have the right to contest the need to perform such Remedial Work, provided that, (1) Borrower is permitted by the applicable Environmental Laws to delay performance of the Remedial Work pending such proceedings, (2) neither the Property nor any part thereof or interest therein will be sold, forfeited or lost if Borrower fails to promptly perform the Remedial Work being contested, and if Borrower fails to prevail in contest, Borrower would thereafter have the opportunity to perform such Remedial Work, (3) Lender would not, by virtue of such permitted contest, be exposed to any risk of any civil liability for which Borrower has not furnished additional security as provided in clause (4) below, or to any risk of criminal liability, and neither the Property nor any interest therein would be subject to the imposition of any Lien for which Borrower has not furnished additional security as provided in clause (4) below, as a result of the failure to perform such Remedial Work and (4) Borrower shall have furnished to Lender additional security in respect of the Remedial Work being contested and the loss or damage that may result from Borrower’s failure to prevail in such contest in such amount as may be reasonably requested by Lender but in no event less than the cost of such Remedial Work as estimated by Lender and Borrower or Lender’s Consultant and any loss or damage that may result from Borrower’s failure to prevail in such contest.
(d) Borrower shall not install or permit to be installed on the Property any underground storage tank.
Compliance with Environmental Laws; Environmental Reports (a) Comply and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all lessees and other persons occupying Real Property owned or operated by any Company to comply, in all material respects with all Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits applicable to its operations and property and obtain and renew all material Environmental Permits applicable to its operations and property and conduct any Response in accordance with Environmental Laws; provided, however, that no Company shall be required to undertake any Response to the extent that its obligation to do so is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and appropriate reserves are being maintained with respect to such circumstances in accordance with GAAP.
(b) If a Default caused by reason of a breach of Section 3.17 or Section 5.09(a) shall have occurred and be continuing for more than 20 Business Days without the Companies commencing activities reasonably likely to cure such Default, at the written request of the Required Lenders through the Administrative Agent, provide to the Lenders within 45 days after such request, at the expense of Borrower, an environmental site assessment report regarding the matters which are the subject of such default, including where appropriate, any soil and/or groundwater sampling, prepared by an environmental consulting firm and in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and indicating the presence or absence of Hazardous Materials and the estimated cost of any compliance or Response to address them in connection with such Default.
Amendment of Material Documents No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness, or (b) its charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be adverse to the Lenders.
Materials of Environmental Concern have not been transported or disposed of from the Properties in violation of, or in a manner or to a location which could give rise to liability under, any Environmental Law, nor have any Materials of Environmental Concern been generated, treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of the Properties in violation of, or in a manner that could give rise to liability under, any applicable Environmental Law, except insofar as any such violation or liability referred to in this paragraph, or any aggregation thereof, could not reasonably be expected to result in the payment of a Material Environmental Amount.
Notice of Environmental Matters Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days from the date Lessee has actual knowledge thereof, Lessee shall provide to Lessor written notice of any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding involving any Environmental Law or any Release on or in connection with any Property or Properties. All such notices shall describe in reasonable detail the nature of the claim, action or proceeding and Lessee's proposed response thereto. In addition, Lessee shall provide to Lessor, within five (5) Business Days of receipt, copies of all material written communications with any Governmental Authority relating to any Environmental Law in connection with any Property. Lessee shall also promptly provide such detailed reports of any such material environmental claims as may reasonably be requested by Lessor.
Environmental Reports Lender shall have received an environmental report in respect of the Property, in each case reasonably satisfactory to Lender.
Periodic Review of Costs of Environmental Compliance In the ordinary course of its business, the Company conducts a periodic review of the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review and the amount of its established reserves, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
Environmental Inspections In the event Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that Tenant is in breach of its obligations under Sections 32.1 through 32.4, Landlord shall have the right, from time to time, during normal business hours and upon not less than five (5) Business Days written notice to Tenant (except in the case of an emergency that constitutes an imminent threat to human health or safety or damage to property, in which event Landlord shall undertake reasonable efforts to notify a representative of Tenant as soon as practicable under the circumstances), to conduct an inspection of the Leased Property or any portion thereof (and Tenant shall be permitted to have Landlord or its representatives accompanied by a representative of Tenant) to determine the existence or presence of Hazardous Substances on or about the Leased Property or any portion thereof. In the event Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that Tenant is in breach of its obligations under Sections 32.1 through 32.4, Landlord shall have the right to enter and inspect the Leased Property or any portion thereof, conduct any testing, sampling and analyses it reasonably deems necessary and shall have the right to inspect materials brought into the Leased Property or any portion thereof. Landlord may, in its discretion, retain experts to conduct the inspection, perform the tests referred to herein, and to prepare a written report in connection therewith if Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that Tenant is in breach of its obligations under Sections 32.1 through 32.4. All costs and expenses incurred by Landlord under this Section 32.6 shall be the responsibility of Landlord, except solely to the extent Tenant has breached its obligations under Sections 32.1 through 32.5, in which event such reasonable costs and expenses shall be paid by Tenant to Landlord as provided in Section 32.4. Failure to conduct an environmental inspection or to detect unfavorable conditions if such inspection is conducted shall in no fashion constitute a release of any liability for environmental conditions subsequently determined to be associated with or to have occurred during Tenant’s tenancy. Tenant shall remain liable for any environmental condition related to or having occurred during its tenancy regardless of when such conditions are discovered and regardless of whether or not Landlord conducts an environmental inspection at the termination of this Lease. The obligations set forth in this Article XXXII shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease but in no event shall Article XXXII apply to matters first occurring after the later of (x) the end of the Term and (y) the date upon which Tenant shall have vacated the Leased Property and surrendered the same to Landlord, in each case to the extent such matters are not or were not caused by the acts or omissions of Tenant in breach of this Lease.
