How to Find and Hire an Environmental Consultant

Environmental consultants identify different ways that your business project can comply with regulations.

Expanding your business after it has prospered for some time can be a very exciting prospect. Unfortunately, a list of environmental regulations meant to protect the surrounding community can add to your concerns in finishing the project legally. Businesses needing to ensure that a project meets governmental regulations on environmental protection can hire a professional environmental consultant for support. Prospective consultants can be identified through various avenues, including your phone book and state consultant rosters.

Instructions

1. Research which environmental regulations your business must comply with to avoid penalties and fines. Contact your state or local business authority to identify what types of environmental regulations your project may need to consider, such as rainwater drainage or proper waste disposal.

2. Contact your state or county environmental authority and ask for a list of environmental consultants certified to act as a consultant on your business project. Many states have a state certification process for environmental consultants working on site remediation projects. Even states that do not, like Rhode Island, sometimes maintain a list of environmental consultants working within the state.

3. Search your phone book to identify more potential environmental consultants for your project. Environmental consultants advertising in your local phone book can be found in the business listings under Air Pollution Control, Professional Engineers, Water Pollution Control or Environmental and Ecological Services.

4. Contact the environmental consultants you have identified and request proposals for consultation services on your project. These proposals should include the consultant's professional experience, business references and a rates quote for their services. Send each candidate a detailed description of your project, including planned construction, materials to be used as well as a description of the environmental regulations that apply to your project.

5. Conduct a personal interview with all consultants that you may be interested in hiring for your project. Ask a few questions about the consultant's work experience, such as: How do you maintain a safe work site? What is your familiarity with state and federal environmental guidelines? What level of liability insurance do you possess, or are covered by under your firm? Ensure that the consultant can commit to meeting all deadlines for your business project.

6. Choose one environmental consultant from your prospective choices and sign a contract for their services. Many environmental consultants have contract templates which they use on most assignments. These contracts should include a description of job responsibilities, dates of the contracted work period, any information on the use of subcontractors and the conditions for contract modification in case any project details need to change. Seek a second opinion from a legal professional involved in business or environmental law before signing the legal contract.

Tips & Warnings

• When interviewing potential consultants, keep in mind that the hired consultant will be working closely with project supervisors, making a friendly work relationship very important. Contact business references to learn more about the consultant's past project experiences.

References

• New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation: Choosing an Environmental Consultant: Guidance for Small Businesses
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management: Hiring an Environmental Consultant
• Sacramento County Environmental Management Department: FAQs - Tanks