Gilbert-based environmental consulting firm Earthworks Environmental LLC will expand operations to several northern states this year.

Earthworks’ services include storm water pollution prevention, environmental site assessments, dust control and construction safety compliance work primarily for developers, commercial construction and land-holding companies.

The expansion was fueled by the company creating storm water and environmental programs for national home builders that did not have systems in place or wanted an enhanced program, Cherie Koester, principal of Earthworks, said in a statement.

The company was founded in 2014 and expanded to Florida in 2016. Earthworks's services also are available in Texas, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota, with several northern states to be added this year. The firm now employs 22 people.

“We hire locally and start training in Arizona with the core group,” Koester said. “Then we complete their training in their designated division. It is such an independent job. I have to trust them out there; they are an extension of me.”

Earthworks uses a proprietary software called ERX for environmental reporting, which pulls all aspects of compliance, such as permits and inspections, into one program. Koester said the software played a key role in the expansion.

“We’ve created a great system,” Koester said. “We can do any project, any size, in any state. The home builders know we have created a good system. We always ask, ‘Where else can we help you?’”

Earthworks recently hired Aaron Gordon as compliance manager in Arizona, and to prepare for the expansion, Koester promoted Travis Fern to director of compliance and Brendan Haugh to director of training and development.