Librarian's Environmental Toolkit

Writing regulations is one of EPA's most significant tools to protect the environment. Regulatory requirements help put environmental laws passed by Congress into effect, and can apply to individuals, businesses, state or local governments, non-profit institutions, or others. This page outlines the steps in the regulatory process.

Regulatory history refers to the process that a piece of proposed rulemaking goes through before it becomes a regulation and consists of the documents created during that process. This typically includes Federal Register notices, proposed rules, and rules representing the complete rulemaking process associated with specific Public Laws or Executive Orders. Regulatory history research is often conducted to investigate why an agency promulgated a particular regulation or to assist scholars, lawyers, and judges in interpreting a regulation. From the ASU Law Library.

Enforcing environmental laws is a central part of EPA's Strategic Plan to protect human health and the environment. EPA works to ensure compliance with environmental requirements. When warranted, EPA will take civil or criminal enforcement action against violators of environmental laws. This page provides basic information on EPA’s enforcement and compliance programs, actions, activities, reports and data.

This guide provides background information on Environmental Impact Statements, and provides tools for locating statements and related documents.

An excellent beginners guide to legal research compiled by the University of Illinois' Law librarians.

Each Center addresses real world issues faced by a specific industry or government sector.

The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) annual edition is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government. It is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation. The 50 subject matter titles contain one or more individual volumes, which are updated once each calendar year, on a staggered basis. The annual update cycle is as follows: titles 1-16 are revised as of January 1; titles 17-27 are revised as of April 1; titles 28-41 are revised as of July 1; and titles 42-50 are revised as of October 1. Each title is divided into chapters, which usually bear the name of the issuing agency. Each chapter is further subdivided into parts that cover specific regulatory areas. Large parts may be subdivided into subparts. All parts are organized in sections, and most citations to the CFR refer to material at the section level.

The Library of Congress's new website including legislation from 1973 to present, the Congressional Record 1995-present, and profiles of members of Congress.

The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) is a currently updated version of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). It is not an official legal edition of the CFR. The e-CFR is an editorial compilation of CFR material and Federal Register amendments produced by the National Archives and Records Administration's Office of the Federal Register (OFR) and the Government Printing Office. The OFR updates the material in the e-CFR on a daily basis.

Use EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online website to search for facilities in your community to assess their compliance with environmental regulations. You can also investigate pollution sources, examine and create enforcement-related maps, or explore your state's performance.

Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.

EPA is called a regulatory agency because Congress authorizes them to write regulations that explain the critical details necessary to implement environmental laws. In addition, a number of Presidential Executive Orders (EOs) play a central role in their activities. This page links to summaries of laws and executive orders impacting EPA.

Submit your comments on proposed regulations and related documents published by the U.S. Federal government. You can also use this site to search and review original regulatory documents as well as comments submitted by others.

Includes links to summaries of major environmental laws, Executive Orders, and DOE orders pertaining to the environment.

EPA is called a regulatory agency because Congress authorizes us to write regulations that explain the technical, operational, and legal details necessary to implement laws. Regulations are mandatory requirements that can apply to individuals, businesses, state or local governments, non-profit institutions, or others. EPA provides a number of tools for you to keep track of and participate in the development of new EPA regulations, and to learn how to comply with existing regulations.

The Congressional Research Service, a component of the Library of Congress, conducts research and analysis for Congress on a broad range of national policy issues.

The Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) is a research collaborative and network of diverse professionals promoting evidence-based policy-making and public interest science that advances the Environmental Right-to-Know (ERTK).

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy organization.

ELI’s Mission is to foster innovative, just, and practical law and policy solutions to enable leaders across borders and sectors to make environmental, economic, and social progress.

We deploy innovative and pragmatic legal analyses to improve environmental and climate outcomes and support clean energy. Maintains a regulatory tracker and a federal environmental justice tracker, as well as resources related to deregulation at the federal level.

The Impact Project is a nonpartisan data and research initiative that makes government data more transparent and accessible, and produces actionable insights to help reimagine how government, private industry, nonprofits, and civil society can better work together to build more resilient communities.

Apportionments are legally binding plans issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget that set the pace at which federal agencies may spend appropriated funds. OpenOMB's database makes apportionments easy to find and track.

The Sabin Center develops legal techniques to combat the climate crisis and advance climate justice, and train the next generation of leaders in the field. They maintain a federal climate change regulation database and a climate deregulation tracker.

The Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC) is responsible for providing leadership and program evaluation in implementing the Department of the Interior’s (Department/DOI/Interior) environmental policy. The OEPC provides a coordinated and unified enterprise-wide approach for compliance with the full range of environmental statutes and assists the Department’s leadership in responding to environmental issues that affect multiple Bureaus/Offices.

National policy, guidance and publications relating to EPA's enforcement of environmental laws.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. Join their mailing list to receive a daily update of reports released by the agency.

WRI is a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries, with offices in the United States, China, India, Brazil, Indonesia and more. Our more than 1,000 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action to sustain our natural resources—the foundation of economic opportunity and human well-being. Our work focuses on seven critical issues at the intersection of environment and development: climate, energy, food, forests, water, cities and the ocean.