Nuka Research & Planning Group

What Nuka Research & Planning Group does

Nuka Research & Planning Group, LLC is a privately held environmental consulting firm founded circa 2005 and headquartered in Plymouth, Massachusetts, with additional offices in Seldovia, Alaska, and Yarmouth, Maine. The firm provides professional consulting services focused on oil spill preparedness and response, emergency response planning, maritime risk assessment, geographic response plan (GRP) and geographic response strategy (GRS) development, response gap analysis, environmental monitoring and field sampling, exercises and drills following HSEEP protocols, and facilitation. The current owners are Elise DeCola (General Manager/Principal, an internationally recognized expert in oil spill preparedness) and Sierra Fletcher (Operations Manager/Principal), both of whom became owners after co-founder Tim Robertson transitioned out in 2020.

The firm's underlying technology stack is consulting-driven rather than software-driven, centered on proprietary analytical frameworks — most notably the "response gap" methodology pioneered by Nuka Research to estimate environmental condition exceedances of response system operating limits — alongside standardized tactical response manuals, the Alaska Emergency Towing System manual, FEMA-compliant emergency operations plans, GIS-based mapping products (including ShoreZone Mapping with Coastal and Ocean Resource, Inc.), and AIS-data vessel traffic analyses. The service portfolio spans 12+ discrete offerings from risk assessments and PPOR plans to workshops, exercises, and emergency management plans.

The business model is professional services on a contracted project basis, with pricing quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led direct contracting with government agencies, industry clients, and non-profit organizations, pursued through repeat relationships, competitive procurement, and conference/publication presence. Revenue is generated primarily through multi-year federal, state, tribal, provincial, and international contracts (clients include BOEM, BSEE, EPA, NOAA, USCG, MassDEP, Alaska DEC, Maine DEP, CIRCAC, PWSRCAC, WWF, Chevron USA, Tesoro Alaska, the Makah Tribe, the Seldovia Native Association, British Columbia Ministry of Environment, and the Commission on Environmental Cooperation), with disclosed scope spanning Alaska, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, US Arctic regions, and the Canadian Northwest Passage.

Name

Nuka Research & Planning Group

Legal name

Nuka Research & Planning Group, LLC

Website

https://nukaresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nuka Research & Planning Group is an environmental consulting firm founded in 2005, specializing in oil spill preparedness, maritime risk assessment, geographic response planning, and emergency response training for federal, state, tribal, and international government, oil industry, and non-profit clients across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Compliance & Permitting (BPAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Waste & Hazardous Materials Management (incl. HazMat) (BPAHAJAK), Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH), EHS Management Systems & ISO Consulting (ISO 14001/45001) (BPAHAJAF), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ), Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Oil spill preparedness
• Emergency response planning
• Maritime risk assessment
• Geographic response planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for environmental policy development, planning, training, outreach and facilitation. Services are provided to international clients in industry, government, and non-profit sectors on a contracted project basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nuka Research & Planning Group, LLC is an environmental consulting firm offering policy development, planning, training, outreach, and facilitation services to international clients in industry, government, and non-profit sectors. Its work centers on oil spill preparedness and response, maritime risk assessment, geographic response planning, response gap analyses, environmental monitoring and field sampling, and HSEEP-compliant emergency management exercises and trainings. Services are delivered on a contracted, project-based model to clients such as the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, EPA, BOEM, BSEE, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, MassDEP, and the Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Councils.

Product overview

Nuka Research & Planning Group, LLC is an environmental consulting firm offering a unified suite of consulting services rather than a software platform. The company provides environmental consulting, policy development, planning, training, outreach and facilitation services. Their core service offerings include: Risk Assessments and Related Studies, Geographic Response Plan (GRP) and Geographic Response Strategy (GRS) Development, Response Gap Analyses, Tactical Manuals for Spill Responders, Potential Places of Refuge (PPOR) Plans, Environmental Monitoring and Field Sampling, Oil Spill Response Capacity Analyses, ShoreZone Mapping, Emergency Management Plans, Workshops and Technical Seminars, Exercises Drills and Trainings, and Emergency Towing System Manual and Exercises. These services are designed for international clients in industry, government, and non-profit sectors with a focus on oil spill preparedness, emergency response, and environmental protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Consulting Services Comprehensive environmental consulting practice offering policy development, planning, training, outreach, and facilitation services for international clients in industry, government, and non-profit sectors.
• Risk Assessments and Related Studies Risk assessments and analyses of oil spill risks from transportation by vessels and pipelines, including pollution risk studies from marine and terrestrial activities, delivered for government and industry clients.
• Geographic Response Plan (GRP) and Geographic Response Strategy (GRS) Development Map-based plans providing tactics and strategies to protect high-priority areas from oil impacts; Nuka Research has served as lead contractor for GRP/GRS development across multiple US regions.
• Response Gap Analyses Analysis pioneered by Nuka Research to estimate how often environmental conditions exceed the maximum operating limits of oil spill response systems, used to inform planning and procurement decisions.
• Tactical Manuals for Spill Responders Standardized oil spill response tactics manuals providing guidance to spill responders and planners on the use of response tactics to control and clean up spills.
• Potential Places of Refuge (PPOR) Plans Pre-identified sites that aid decision-makers in responding to vessels in distress to protect sensitive areas from impacts of possible spills, including facilitation of related stakeholder projects.
• Environmental Monitoring and Field Sampling Environmental monitoring and field sampling programs including logistical support for remote areas, with sampling for contaminant analysis of sediments, water column, and biota.
• Oil Spill Response Capacity Analyses Analyses estimating the capacity of spill response systems to handle oil spills of various sizes under varying environmental conditions.
• ShoreZone Mapping Digital dataset development to assist with regulatory management of proposed offshore oil and gas development in the US Arctic Ocean, delivered in partnership with Coastal and Ocean Resource, Inc. (CORI).
• Emergency Management Plans Development of FEMA-compliant Emergency Operation Plans (EOP), Local Hazard Mitigation Plans (LHMP), Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans (CEMP), and Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP).
• Workshops and Technical Seminars Organization and facilitation of workshops and technical seminars bringing together experts, practitioners, regulators, and stakeholders to address environmental issues.
• Exercises, Drills, and Trainings Organization, facilitation, and evaluation of oil spill and emergency response exercises ranging from tabletops to full-scale functional field exercises following HSEEP guidelines.
• Emergency Towing System Manual and Exercises Lead contracting for development of the Alaska Emergency Towing System (ETS) manual and planning/facilitation of large-scale exercises where the ETS is deployed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 747 vessels identified operating in Cook Inlet using 2021-2024 AIS data
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GHD: GHD is a global engineering, architecture, and environmental consultancy with US offices delivering water, coastal, and emergency management services. Its environmental and federal contracting practices overlap with Nuka's coastal planning and emergency preparedness offerings.
• SLR Consulting: SLR Consulting is an international environmental and advisory firm offering permitting, compliance, and impact assessment services to industry and government. Its environmental and marine services overlap with Nuka's risk assessment, monitoring, and contingency planning capabilities.
• Stantec: Stantec is a global engineering and environmental consulting firm serving public and private clients. Its environmental services practice addresses remediation, permitting, and water resources that compete broadly with Nuka's consulting portfolio.
• AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm with a sizable environment practice covering remediation, permitting, and emergency planning. It competes with Nuka on federal environmental contracts but typically as a large-scale prime contractor that sub-contracts niche work to specialists like Nuka.
• ICF International: ICF International is an advisory and digital services firm with a strong federal environment, energy, and disaster management practice. Its climate resilience and emergency preparedness contracts position it as a broad incumbent competitor to Nuka for federal and state planning work.
• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is a leading global environmental and water-resources consulting firm with deep federal government relationships. Its emergency management, climate resilience, and coastal services overlap with Nuka's GRP, response-gap, and FEMA-aligned planning work.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is a global sustainability and environmental consulting firm advising corporates and governments on environmental risk, compliance, and incident response. Its oil & gas and maritime risk practices overlap with Nuka's spill preparedness and risk assessment work.

Direct peers

• Anchor QEA: Anchor QEA is an environmental and water-resources consulting firm serving federal, state, and tribal clients on contaminated sites, sediment management, and marine/coastal planning. Its emergency-response and shoreline-restoration work overlaps directly with Nuka's GRP, tactical manual, and coastal monitoring offerings.
• Polaris Applied Sciences: Polaris Applied Sciences is an oil spill response and preparedness consultancy offering modeling, trajectory, and contingency planning services to government and industry. It competes most directly with Nuka on Geographic Response Plans, response-gap analyses, and vessel risk studies.
• Integral Consulting: Integral Consulting is a science and engineering firm providing environmental and water-resources services to industry, government, and tribal clients. Its work on spill response, contaminant assessment, and natural resource damage assessments parallels Nuka's emergency response and monitoring services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_q3_RR601wBqaBoqDbTetw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nuka-research-and-planning-group-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nuka Research & Planning Group