Key Takeaways
- In a deal announced Aug. 12, 2026, Verdantas acquired Pax Environmental, Inc., a California-based environmental consulting firm with nearly 75 staff.
- Pax contributes environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, ecological restoration, and cultural and natural resource services, along with strong experience navigating California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews.
- Together, the combined firm will field close to 200 permitting and natural resource professionals focused on the power market.
- Pax has built relationships with major power utilities and public- and private-sector clients throughout California, particularly in the southern part of the state.
- Tampa, Florida-based Verdantas employs more than 2,800 professionals nationwide and is backed by the private equity firm Sterling Investment Partners.
Verdantas Adds California Depth Through Pax Environmental Deal
Tampa, Florida-based Verdantas, which provides environmental, water and energy-related consulting services, said on Aug. 12, 2026 that it had acquired Pax Environmental, Inc., a California environmental consulting firm with nearly 75 employees. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
What Pax Brings to the Deal
Pax’s team covers environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, ecological restoration, and cultural and natural resource assessments, spanning biological, water and wetlands work. The firm has deep experience navigating projects through California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act reviews, supporting infrastructure and development projects across the state, and has built relationships with major power utilities concentrated in Southern California.
Once Pax is folded into Verdantas, the combined firm will have nearly 200 permitting and natural resource professionals dedicated to the power sector. According to Verdantas, the deal bolsters its capacity to serve infrastructure, power utility and energy clients whose environmental and regulatory work must be coordinated across multiple agencies and jurisdictions, a standard feature of California’s regulated energy market.
Leadership Comments on the Deal
“Pax brings a strong team and the kind of niche technical capabilities power clients are looking for, especially in a market like California. It also provides us a dedicated team of almost 200 permitting and natural resource professionals focused on the power market,” said Jesse Kropelnicki, Chief Executive Officer of Verdantas.
“This is a great fit for our team. Verdantas brings a similar culture to what Pax has always embraced, additional resources and a broader platform that will allow us to do more for our clients, provide greater opportunities for our staff, while still staying true to how we work and the relationships we’ve built over time,” said Brian Holly, Principal Ecologist and Chief Executive Officer of Pax Environmental.
Verdantas’ Broader Growth Strategy
Verdantas employs more than 2,800 professionals nationwide and counts Sterling Investment Partners, a private equity firm with over 275 closed transactions totaling more than $35 billion, as its backer.
