Environmental Law

Library Research Guide

Environmental law is a mixture of state and federal statutes and regulations, local ordinances, and common-law principles covering clean air practice, water pollution, hazardous waste, solid waste, and wetlands and wild lands. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the main federal agency that enforces environmental laws, but other agencies also have roles. States have their own environmental protection agencies and have set up programs to enforce the federal laws, but also impose stricter standards than the federal government in some cases.

Statutes and Regulations

General:

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): Pub. L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, January 1, 1970, as amended by Pub. L. 94-52, July 3, 1975, Pub. L. 94-83, August 9, 1975, and Pub. L. 97-258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982
• Pollution Prevention Act of 1990: 104 Stat. 1388
• Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act: 94 Stat. 3335

Air:

• Air Pollution Control Act of 1955: Pub.L. 84-159
• Clean Air Act of 1963: Pub.L. 88-206
• Clean Air Act of 1970: Pub.L. 91-604
• Clean Air Act of 1990: Pub. L. 101-549
• Motor Vehicle Control Act of 1960: Pub. L. 86-493
• Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act of 1965: Pub. L. 89-272
• Air Quality Act of 1967: Pub. L. 90-148

Water:

• The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899: 30 Stat. 1151
• Public Health Service Act of 1912: 37 Stat. 309
• Oil Pollution Act of 1924: 43 Stat.604
• Federal Water Pollution Control Act 1948: 62 Stat.1155
• Water Quality Act of 1965: Pub. L. 89-234
• Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972: Pub. L. 92-500
• Safety Drinking Water Act of 1974: Pub. L. 93-523
• Clean Water Act of 1977: Pub. L. 95-217
• Water Quality Act of 1987: 109 Stat. 727
• Oil Pollution Act of 1990: 104 Stat. 484

Toxic Substances:

• Toxic Substances Control Act: 90 Stat. 2003
• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act: Pub. L. 80-104
• Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act: 52 Stat. 1040

Waste Management and Hazardous Release:

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976: Pub. L. 94-580
• Comprehensive environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980: Pub. L. 96-510
• Solid Waste Disposal Act: 79 Stat. 997
• Ocean Dumping Act: 86 Stat. 1053
• The Hazard and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984: Pub. L. 98-616
• Emergency Planning and Community Right-to Know Act of 1986: Pub. L. 99-499
• Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986: Pub. L. 99-499

Energy and Natural Resources:

• Atomic Energy Act of 1954: 68 Stat. 919
• Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972: Pub. L. 92-532
• Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972: Pub. L. 92-583
• Endangered Species Act of 1973: 87 Stat. 884
• Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976: Pub. L. 94-579
• Surface mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977: Pub. L. 95-87
• National Energy Act of 1978: Pub. L. 95-617
• Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act: Pub. L. 95-620
• Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Act of 1978: Pub. L. 95-372
• The Coastal Zone Management Act: Pub. L. 96-464
• The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982: Pub. L. 97-425
• "Swampbuster" Provisions of the 1985 Food Security Act of 1985: Pub. L. 99-198

• Dictionary of Environmental Law (REF K.3584.6.G55 2000)
• Environmental Law: A guide to Information Sources (REF KF3775.A1S35)
• International Protection of the Environment: Treaties and Related Documents (REF K3583.I5)
• Search more books by using "environmental law" as a subject under the library catalog

• Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review (Per. K5.N83)
• Food and Drug Law Journal (Per. K6.O6)

• Albany Law Environmental Outlook
• Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review
• Buffalo Environmental Law Journal
• University of Denver Water Law Review
• Dickinson Journal of Environmental Law and Policy
• Drake Journal of Agricultural Law
• Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum
• Ecology Law Quarterly
• Florida State University Journal of Land Use & Environmental Law
• Fordham Environmental Law Journal
• Georgetown International Environmental Law Review
• Great Plains Natural Resources Journal
• The Harvard Environmental Law Review
• Hastings West-Northwest Journal of Environmental Law and Policy
• Journal of Environmental Law & Litigation
• Journal of Land, Resources, & Environmental Law
• Land and Water Law Review
• Missouri Environmental Law & Policy Review
• Pace Environmental Law Review
• Public Land & Resources Law Review
• San Joaquin Agricultural Law Review
• South Carolina Environmental Law Journal
• Stanford Environmental Law Journal
• Temple Environmental Law & Technology Journal
• Tulane Environmental Law Journal
• UCLA Journal of Environmental Law & Policy
• University of Baltimore Journal of Environmental Law
• Villanova Environmental Law Journal
• Virgini a Environmental Law Journal
• William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review
• Wisconsin Environmental Law Journal

• Environment Reporter Cases (REF KF3775.E682x)
• Cases can also be accessed at Campus Research -- formerly Westlaw Campus

• National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• New Source Performance Standards
• Mobile Source Performance Standards
• Drink Water Standards

• President's Annual Report on Environmental Quality: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq

• The Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture: http://www.usda.gov
• The Department of the Interior: http://www.doi.gov
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management: http://www.adem.state.al.us/

H. Wang
March 2003