Environmental Consultants Reviewed: What People Actually Say About Working with RMA

Good People Saying Good Things: What Keeps Us Going

Since 1992, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some great companies. And as much as we like to talk about ourselves, it’s way nicer when someone else does it.

For this post, we’ve cherry-picked a few meaningful reviews that have been written about us over the years. We don’t have time to cover all of them, but these are a few that, for various reasons, really make us happy that we’re doing what we’re doing. And just to be clear - we’re not cherry-picking just the good ones to make ourselves look better. As of this post, it’s all 5-star reviews across every RMA office - so even if we wanted to include a bad one for balance… we don’t have any.

Environmental consulting is a tricky thing with confidentiality, and while these are all public reviews that people decided to leave, out of an abundance of respect we’ve been a little vague about titles and companies. Rest assured these are real reviews (you can even find them yourself online with a little digging!) but we’re serious about your privacy here at RMA. So trust us - they’re real, and if you ever leave us a good review, you should rest easy knowing we’re not going to air out your info on our next post either.

With that, let’s jump in.

Reviews from Our Customers Over the Years

We’ve worked in every corner of the environmental world over the last 30+ years, and every now and then, someone takes the time to write something kind. It always means a lot. Here are a few memorable ones from great clients we've helped.

A Tough Project and Ongoing Assistance

“Have been doing business with Doug and his team for approx 5 years now and have found they are always quick to respond and very knowledgeable in their field. Great company!”
— Frank “Sandy” McIntyre

(Sandy came to us for help with a tricky Class B recycling approval - the kind of project that takes time, patience, and a lot of back-and-forth with regulators. We stuck with it and ultimately got the exact terms they were hoping for. Since then, he’s expanded into asphalt production, and we’ve continued to support him on the environmental front there, too. He’s a great guy, and we’re proud to be the ones he calls to lead the way on compliance.)

Over 20 Years of Trust

“[Our company] has quarry and redi-mix concrete operations. We have used RMA for over 20-years and and RMA has consistently provided us with sound advice on a wide range of NJDEP matters, and streamlined and simplified our stormwater management reporting.”
— Kurt Peters

(Kurt is in-house legal counsel for a major construction materials and aggregate producer. He’s been a longtime customer and trusted partner, and over the years we’ve helped with everything from recycling approvals to stormwater & air permitting to TRI reporting. He’s sharp, fair, and always clear about what needs to be done - the kind of client relationship we really value.)

Helping a Seasoned Operator Stay Ahead

“Tremendous help RMA was with permit transfers for a newly acquired company. Chris, Amy, always there to answer any questions that I had throughout the process. Appreciate the help they give keeping us to stay in compliance with training during the year.”
— Chris Young

(Chris manages several industrial sites and has been a solid long-time customer. Has it been two decades yet? We've lost track, time flies! We’ve been his go-to for environmental matters like NPDES services for years, and we continue to support him on an ongoing basis through our annual contract work.)

Keeping a Property Deal Clean

“Resource Management Associates was very flexible with scheduling and worked a Phase 1 assessment at one of our locations providing great insight and recommendations.”
— Dino Faiola

(Dino has since retired - congrats, we're looking forward to it! But at the time of this review, he was working in real estate acquisitions for an industrial company. We were able to squeeze in a Phase I ESA for him ahead of a property transaction to make sure there weren’t any environmental liabilities lurking in the background. We're always happy to hear that people get value out of our post-assessment recommendations, especially since they aren't technically within the scope of a Phase I!)

High-Quality Permits, Plans, Reports (and Beef)

“We have been using RMA for several years. They always go above and beyond our expectations.”
— Phillip Hudson

(Phil owns a builders supply and construction materials company, and we’ve worked with him on everything from SPCC plans to Tier II reports to NPDES permitting. These days, he’s an annual contract client - he calls us first, asks what needs to be done, and trusts we’ll take care of it. Once he even sent us a box of beef from his own cattle farm. We’re still talking about those ribeyes!)

Pushing Through the Red Tape

“We had the pleasure of working with RMA for our environmental consulting needs, and we are thoroughly impressed with their expertise and professionalism. From the initial consultation to the final permit issuance, their team was knowledgeable, thorough, and responsive.

Doug, Tate & their team took the time to understand our specific challenges and provided clear, actionable advice that helped us navigate environmental regulations for our recycling facility with the DEP and EPA officials. Their attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality work exceeded our expectations. They even helped us by looping in other specialized professionals to complete various required testing/ tasks for our permit application.

If you're looking for an environmental consulting firm that is reliable, knowledgeable, and results-driven, I highly recommend RMA. They are true professionals who go above and beyond to support their clients.”
— Steph Smith

(Steph is a stakeholder in a company that deals in heavy equipment sales and mulch and landscaping materials production. We worked with her on an air quality permitting project that turned into a real grind - the agency pushed back on just about everything and dragged the process out. Through it all, Steph was steady, responsive, and totally collaborative. She made what could’ve been a long, painful process into a productive and even enjoyable one. We really appreciated the way she showed up throughout it all.)

From Skeptic to Superfan

“I recently traveled all the way from California to attend the NRMCA Environmental Training in Florida. I was a bit skeptical about whether the course content would be applicable to our plants in CA because the regulatory environment in CA differs so greatly from other states. I've also attended my fair share of boring, generic regulatory courses.

I walked away from the course completely blown away by the amount of things I learned. It never occurred to me to look into what we're reporting for TRI and add those constituents to our storm water sampling protocol. I'm also excited to pursue ISO or NRMCA [Green] Star Certification for our plants. Doug managed to keep the class engaged with jokes and banter for 2.5 days (not easy to do in a classroom environment). My boss roasted me a bit because I was initially so hesitant to attend the course and I came back to the office bursting with new ideas. Haha. We're already talking about sending others from our team to Florida in the coming years. Cheers.”
— Sarah Arney

(Sarah came to one of our NRMCA training sessions down in Florida - one of our favorite ways to connect with folks in the concrete world. Her skepticism at first makes this one especially fun to read. We pack a lot into those two and a half days of environmental training, and we’re thrilled she found it not just useful, but energizing enough to bring back to her whole team.)

In Memory of a Decades-Long Client and Friend

“Over the last 25 years I found Doug and his RMA team to always provide a very professional approach to solving problems. Their knowledge of the concrete and aggregate industry has continuously helped us at [our company] to handle those difficult environmental questions.”
— Emil Garlewicz

(Emil was the owner of an industrial equipment company and a long-time friend of RMA. We worked closely with him over the years to help his team stay aligned with environmental trends and shifting regulatory expectations in his industry. Emil has since passed, and this review means even more to us now. We’re grateful for the trust he showed us and honored to have worked alongside him for so long.)

Reviews from Our Colleagues Over the Years

Some of our best reviews have come from peers - folks in the industry who know what it means to do this work day in and day out. Here's what top colleagues in our space have to say about working alongside us:

The Kind of Feedback You Work Hard to Earn

“RMA will provide the support you need. If they do not know it already, guaranteed they will do the research. Highly recommended! Could not ask for better support! RMA should be your choice as well! RMA has provided consistent and reliable support for all environmental matters brought to them. They can be both to the point or really dig into the issue depending on what is needed. Highly respected!”
— Bryan Wigginton

(Bryan is one of the top industrial environmental managers we’ve worked with - maybe one of the best in the country! We’ve teamed up with him on a wide range of regulatory efforts and always appreciate how collaborative and sharp he is. He’s right that we don’t know everything off the top of our heads, but we’ll dig until we do. His trust and respect mean a lot coming from someone we hold in equally high regard.)

Respect From the Other Side of the Table

“Doug and his team are top notch. Decades of experience really pays dividends. I have had the opportunity to work with RMA on multiple projects over the years and they were professional from start to finish. You are in good hands with RMA.”
— Dave Sulock

(Dave’s a fellow environmental professional we’ve partnered with on a number of projects over the years. We often team up on work where our services complement each other - especially around site investigation and remediation. When someone else in the field takes the time to share something like this, it carries extra weight. We’ve always appreciated working with Dave and the mutual trust built along the way.)

An Engineer's Endorsement

“I've worked regularly with RMA since 2018. The team is outstanding and every interaction has been positive. They have a legacy of industry expertise already built and they're constantly exploring new ways to help clients. Everyone could use a Doug Ruhlin, the RMA founder, in their life. He may not always tell people what they want to hear, but he uses his vast experience to help the next generation of professionals build on his legacy and move forward with confidence.”
— Travis Keener, PE

(Travis is our go-to professional engineer here at RMA. We’ve teamed up on more SPCC plans than we can count, and his professionalism and sharp thinking make every collaboration smoother. He’s not just a great engineer, he’s a true partner. Knowing that he sees value in what we bring to the table means a lot to us, because we feel the same way about him.)

Permits and Politics

“RMA has been incredibly responsive and understanding throughout our relationship. We have had several changes and they have always, calmly handled our environmental needs.

Their team has done an awesome job explaining the requirements and training multiple levels of our organization on our responsibilities and requirements.

In short, Doug, Chris, Amy and team have been awesome professionals who've provided a valuable service and always had our backs.”
— Dave Busch

(Dave is a registered lobbyist we’ve worked with on multiple client projects over the years. While we’ve handled the technical side - permitting, approvals, and the rest - Dave’s been a key partner when it comes to navigating agency relationships. He’s sharp, grounded in the environmental space, and knows how to keep things moving when things get tricky. We’ve relied on his insights more than once, and we’ve always felt he’s genuinely had our back, too!)

Built on Trust, Sustained by People (Like You)

Reading through these reviews, we’re reminded why we do this work in the first place. It’s not about the paperwork, the reports, or the permit numbers - it’s about the people. The relationships built over years (and in some cases, decades). The trust that grows when you solve tough problems together.

This business doesn’t run on flash or fanfare. It runs on trust, steady communication, and being there when you say you will. And the fact that folks remember that and see value in it is what has kept us going for all these years. It's mutual, too. We get to help other businesses succeed, and in turn, that’s what allows ours to keep growing.

Bottom line, if you’re thinking about reaching out to RMA, don’t take our word for it. Take theirs. These reviews aren’t just fluff. They’re the result of years of working through real problems with real people who counted on us. These are the folks we’ve been in the trenches with, and we’d be honored to add your name to the list.

And if you’re a past or current client and want to send a little love-letter our way, we’d be honored. You can leave us a Google review - who knows, you might show up in the next one of these we do. For anything else, whether you’re a long-time customer or just starting to look around, we’re here and happy to help. Reach out here.