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Research Guides

Food, Agriculture & Environmental Law

The focus of this guide is the intersection of U.S. food, agriculture and environmental law.

Selected Federal Laws

Laws & Legislative History


U.S. Code (U.S.C.)

The official U.S. Code contains the current version of federal laws, organized by subject. It is revised every six years and updated between revisions with annual cumulative supplements.


Public Laws:

Before laws are codified--that is, organized by subject--and published in the U.S. Code, they are first issued as "public laws," also known generally as session laws.  Public laws are officially published in the United States Statutes at Large (Stat.). 

For additional information on researching federal statutes, consult the Library's Federal Statutory Law guide.


Legislative History:

A legislative history is a collection of documents (including bills, committee hearings, reports, and debates) produced while legislation is being considered by Congress.  It can be useful for determining legislative intent.

For additional information on researching legislative histories, consult the Library's Federal Legislative History guide.

Regulations

For additional information on locating federal regulations, consult the Library's Federal Regulations guide.

Policy/Guidance

Policy documents represent an agency's official interpretation or view of specific issues.  Guidance documents are published to further clarify regulations and to assist in the implementation of regulations. These materials include interpretive memoranda, policy statements, manuals, bulletins, and advisories. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

  • Directives by Categories
    An on-line repository of all USDA Departmental Regulations, Notices, Manuals, and Secretary Memoranda.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

  • EPA Enforcement Policy, Guidance & Publications 
  • EPA Guidance Documents 

  • National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): Animal Feeding Operations - Regulations, Guidance, and Studies 

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Decisions

  • Agriculture Decisions Archive
    • National Agricultural Law Center: Coverage: 1996 (Vol. 55) to date.

EPA Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) Decisions

The U.S. EPA’s Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) is an independent office in the Office of Mission Support.  ALJs conduct hearings and render decisions in proceedings between EPA and persons, businesses, government agencies and other organizations which are or alleged to be regulated under environmental laws.
 
ALJs preside in enforcement and permit proceedings in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. Most enforcement actions initiated by the EPA are for the assessment of civil penalties. 
 
Decisions issued by the ALJs are subject to review by the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB). The ALJs' initial decision, which is a disposition of all of the issues in a proceeding, becomes the final order of the EPA within 45 days after service upon the parties unless a party appeals to the EAB or the EAB on its own initiative elects to review the initial decision.

EPA Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) Decisions

Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) was established on January 27, 1992. (57 Fed. Reg. 5320 (1992)). Prior to the creation of the EAB, administrative appeals were decided by the EPA Administrator, Chief Judicial Officer and Judicial Officers.

Decisions of the EAB are final and may not be further appealed to the EPA Administrator. However, EAB decisions may be appealed to a federal court.
 
Environmental Administrative Decisions: Decisions of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (E.A.D.) is the official reporter for EPA Environmental Appeals Board published decisions and pre-EAB decisions which were issued by the Chief Judicial Officer (CJO) and the EPA Administrator (Adm'r).  
 
Current slip opinions and published decisions (with an E.A.D. citation) are available through the EAB's website. Print E.A.D. volumes often are published years after online decisions.
 

Unpublished final orders issued by the EAB are not published in the bound E.A.D. volumes but are available through the EAB's website.  Orders issued prior to November 1996 are not available online, but may be requested from the Clerk of the Board.

Court Decisions

For additional information, consult the Library's Case Law and Court Dockets, Records, & Rules guides.

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