Environmental Consulting Services NAICS 541620

Jul 17, 2025 - Majority of America's Beaches Have Unsafe Contamination Levels

• About 61% of America’s beaches experienced at least one day in 2024 in which fecal contamination in the water exceeded federal safety standards, according to a report from Environment America Research and Policy Center. The report found about 450 beaches, or one in seven beaches tested, were even worse with excess contamination on at least 25% of the days tested. By region, the highest levels of fecal matter were found on the Gulf Coast (84%), the West Coast (79%), and the Great Lakes (71%). Alaska and Hawaii had the lowest levels of contamination at only 10%. There are about 57 million cases of illness each year from swimming in dirty oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds, and more than 7,500 health warnings or beach closures in 2024. The problem results from overflows from deteriorating sewage systems. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates it will cost $630 billion to improve waste infrastructure.
• Revenue for scientific and technical consulting services rose in Q4 2025 by 9.3% year over year and 4.5% from Q3, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, amid rising demand for clean energy projects and complying with government reporting requirements. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act authorized about $783 billion in spending on clean energy projects and fighting climate change, a key factor in bumping revenue in environmental consulting as companies sought out help on sustainability and green projects. Governments worldwide also increased reporting requirements and demanded detailed disclosures of environmental initiatives and their climate impact, requiring corporations to seek out more consultancy services. The environmental consultancy industry is expected to grow to $60 billion in 2025, per the Business Research Company, reflecting a CAGR growth rate of 4.2% from last year.

• The Trump administration threw US environmental policy into confusion with the issuance of an executive order that directs federal agencies to overhaul how they comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The law, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of infrastructure projects before their approval, has been a key US environmental law since its implementation in the 1970s. Ambiguity with the details of how NEPA is implemented has historically allowed successive administrations to take the lead on guidance of its administration, and Trump has chosen to essentially rescind all aspects of it. Federal agencies have been directed to apply NEPA with an eye towards speedy approvals of projects with minimal environmental study. Environmentalists worry the move will encourage rushed infrastructure projects that pose public health risks.
• A lack of financial incentives topped the list of reasons why some firms aren’t meeting their sustainability goals, according to a recent survey by environmental consultancy ERM. The survey queried C-suite executives and managers across industry sectors. Just under half (48%) of respondents cited a lack of financial incentives as the leading barrier to success in meeting their organization’s sustainability goals, followed by technology that is unavailable or too costly (43%) and a lack of any forceful regulation (41%). Improved training was the top-ranked solution for improving sustainability engagement (72% of respondents), followed by financial incentives and integration of sustainability goals into day-to-day operations. However, those surveyed said that their organizations’ most underutilized solutions were financial incentives and better training.