SALISBURY — A group of Charlotte consultants found no environmental issues at the Salisbury Mall, aside from a partially underground tank used to fuel an emergency generator, according to a Phase 1 report published last week.

ESP Associates, whose consultants toured the mall property on Nov. 8, is asking the county to do further tests on the soil around the estimated 50-gallon tank — as well as asbestos and lead-based paint surveys — but said the property had no findings of contamination from “an existing release, a past release, or a material threat of a release of hazardous or petroleum substances …”

On Nov. 21, the county said it was conducting a Phase II Soil Sample assessment. Those findings have not been released.

County officials are expected to finalize a $3.45 million purchase of the mall property on Dec. 2.

Built in 1985, the mall has received some recent criticism over alleged groundwater contamination from off-site properties.

But the environmental assessment said dry cleaner release from the former Highlander Center laundry and petroleum release from the Country Cupboard, both of which were located across Statesville Boulevard from the mall, are not a concern for county officials.

Moreover, the report said a 500-gallon diesel tank that was removed in 1999 from the western part of the mall property isn’t a concern.

The former tank site, the report said, received a No Further Action letter from the state in 1999.

The only tank remaining on the mall property, the report said, is a 50-gallon diesel tank used to operate the mall’s emergency generator.

The consultants said they could not rule out concerns for that tank, due to the partially in-ground design, “which precludes the ability to observe underlying soils for possible leaks.”

ESP recommended the soil surrounding the tank be tested. Since asbestos and lead-based paint testing is not part of the standard Phase 1 study, consultants recommended those tests be conducted before any renovations are made to the building.

ESP said the report was constructed after a walk-through of the property — including the detached movie theatre and K&W restaurant — interviews and reviews of city directories, historical aerial photographs and U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps.

Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.