Published in NH Business Review 3/26/2021 Under federal environmental laws, purchasers of commercial real estate who conduct an environmental due diligence inquiry may be entitled to rely on safe harbor provisions under federal law limiting otherwise unlimited cleanup response costs should contamination be discovered after purchase. This is especially significant if contaminated groundwater, for example, has migrated off site. Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as CERCLA, if hazardous substances are found on a property, the owner of the property is generally liable for the costs of cleanup. Purchasers of commercial properties want to know what they are purchasing,