In a world where people are constantly looking to find new ways to sustain their environment, it is important that businesses stay informed about current industry regulations and take precautionary measures to avoid environmental disasters. This is where environmental consultants come in. These professionals are trained to assist business owners with navigating complex industry regulations in order to minimize their environmental impact.

Environmental consultants are a type of engineering consultant, and their primary function is to design and build systems that manage environmental resources such as water, wastewater and soil vapor. These systems can help companies reduce their carbon footprint and decrease the amount of toxic materials they are sending into the environment.

They also provide a wide range of services to clients that are involved with contaminated land, including conducting environmental assessments, developing remedial strategies and performing monitoring and testing to assess the effectiveness of those strategies. Additionally, they can work with contaminated water, including designing and building systems to treat and reuse sewage or industrial wastewater.

Another service provided by environmental consultants is to conduct wetland and stream delineations, which are studies that determine the presence or absence of wetlands and streams, and their boundaries. This study is important for developers, property owners and managers who want to ensure their construction projects do not encroach upon wetland or stream critical areas.

In addition, environmental consultants can provide permitting and compliance assistance to companies in the construction, manufacturing and agricultural industries. They can help them obtain permits for their projects by reviewing and interpreting local, state and federal regulations. In addition, they can help their clients comply with environmental laws by assisting them in filing reports and providing training to company personnel.

Lastly, environmental consultants can help with due diligence on properties for real estate transactions. This is a common service requested by financial institutions and private investors, and it involves a thorough review of a property’s historical use and its current status to determine its environmental risks. Federated Environmental, for example, is able to perform Environmental Database Reviews as part of due diligence services for commercial and residential properties.

When hiring an environmental consulting firm, ask for referrals from your colleagues, other businesses in your industry, and your legal counsel. Once you’ve gathered recommendations, ask each prospective firm to provide you with a written proposal outlining their experience and fees. Compare the proposals, and choose a firm that offers competitive rates and an excellent track record.

While most businesses understand the importance of complying with environmental regulations, it can be challenging to keep up with all of the changes in rules and procedures. Luckily, there are many qualified environmental consulting firms that can help companies manage the complicated task of keeping up with industry standards and avoiding costly fines.

In addition to a comprehensive business plan, an environmental consulting firm should carry General Liability Insurance. This is essential to protect the company in the event of a lawsuit filed by a third party.