There has been an explosion of law on the Internet over the past 10 years, oftentimes to the point where the problem is deciding which resource is the best; environmental policy is no exception.

There are a wide variety of websites which offer environmental codes and environmental regulations. Some sites go beyond just simply printing the codes to offer information on environmental compliance and environmental policy.

Finding environmental codes and regulations is really a matter of knowing which sites offer the information you need. Federal, state, and international environmental statutes and regulations are available, in addition to interpretations of these various laws and rules.

You should know that:

1). Plenty of internet sites offer free environmental codes and regulations; the question is, which ones offer comprehensive information and give the user a little extra?

2). If you’re just looking for the basics, such as the environmental code or regulation itself, you can usually get it for free. The more complex the information you need, the more likely you are to have to pay.

3). Often the best sites for environmental codes and regulations are government run. This is especially true for federal environmental regulations.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Head for the fed for federal environmental regulation policy

The federal government offers some of the most comprehensive information on environmental regulation. Best of all, its free!

I recommend: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers one of the most comprehensive environmental sites on the web, featuring not just laws and rules but information on environmental compliance, advisories and even environmental regulations in business. Another good site that covers recreational laws in addition to environmental rules is the one run by the U.S. Geological Survey. If you are looking for something independent of the government, the National Resources Defense Council offers listings of environmental laws and environmental regulations along with their own interpretation of policy.

Look at state environmental sites for state environmental regulation

State environmental regulation and rules are easy to locate.

I recommend: One of the best compilations of state environmental laws and rules is the one run by the Marine Environmental Support Office of the United States Navy. It offers links into all state environmental codes and regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency offers a similar service on its site. For a more detailed look into state environmental laws, including listings of cases and trends, the book State Environmental Laws offered by legal publisher West is very comprehensive and continuously updated.

Investigate international environmental code regulations

International environmental laws and rules are having an increasing impact on America. Here's where you can find the best sources of international environmental code and regulations.

I recommend: Environmental Law Net gives you a fairly comprehensive survey of international environmental law regulations. Hg.Org lists the most important international environmental treaties, in addition to various international environmental organizations from around the word with links to their websites.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember, researching environmental codes and and regulations is no substitute for legal advice. If you have an environmental legal issue, always retain a lawyer.
• •  State environmental sites vary in quality and ease of use. They don't generally offer as much information as the EPA site.
• •  Remember when looking at federal regulations that the Code of Federal Regulations contains the actual regulation and the Federal Register contains proposed regulations.