Cal. Health & Saf. Code § 78090
"Phase I environmental assessment" means a preliminary assessment of a property to determine whether there has been, or may have been, a release of a hazardous substance based on reasonably available information about the property and general vicinity. A phase I environmental assessment may include, but is not limited to, a review of public and private records, current and historical land uses, prior releases of a hazardous material, database searches, reviews of relevant files of federal, state, and local agencies, visual and other surveys of the property and general vicinity, interviews with current and previous owners and operators, and review of regulatory correspondence and environmental reports. Sampling or testing is not required as part of a phase I environmental assessment.
Ca. Health and Saf. Code § 78090