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Other sections of this guide may contain information of interest, particularly the section on Earth Sciences.
Compilation of Selected Acts within the Jurisdiction of the Commerce Committee. Environmental Law. Y 4. C 73/8: [Congress no.]. Revised periodically; library keeps latest edition only. This is a simple compilation of laws in force, with no explanatory material. Laws reprinted include the Clean Air Act and related amendments, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and other related legislation.
Compilation of Water Resources, Disaster Relief and Related Laws. Y
4.T 68/2:[Congress-no.]. MICROFICHE.
Compilation of Water Pollution Control, Environmental Protection and Related
Laws. Y 4.T 68/2:[Congress-no.]. MICROFICHE. Revised periodically; library
keeps latest edition only. These are simple compilations of laws in force,
with no explanatory material.
Annual Report, Council on Environmental Quality PREX 14.1:1971-4, 1982-1997. Reports for 1992 and subsequently are in MICROFICHE. Gives background information and discusses issues of current concern in several environmental areas: air quality, biodiversity, energy, pollution prevention, etc. Some years are available online at the Council's website.
Climate Action Report. S 1.2:C 61/2/ . 1994, 1997, 2002. Submissions of the U.S. under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. There is a summary chapter and other sections which cover: National Circumstances, Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Mitigating Climate Change, Vulnerability and Adaptation, Research and Systematic Observation, Education, Training and Outreach, and International Activities. There is also a review of governmental actions, reporting tables, and a brief bibliography. A recent report is available online from the EPA.
EPA Office of Compliance Sector Notebook Project. EP 1.113:310-R- . These "notebooks" compile information about environmental problems and solutions, case studies and compliance tips for various industries. The Library has more than a dozen in paper; these and more are available online from the EPA.
National Water Summary reports. I 19.13/3. Describe the conditions, trends, availability, quality and use of water resources in the U.S. Each volume includes general papers on the specific topic and state summaries:
| 1983 | Hydrologic Events and Issues |
| 1984 | Hydrologic Events, Selected Water-Quality Trends and Ground Water Resources |
| 1985 | Hydrologic Events and Surface-Water Resources |
| 1986 | Hydrologic Events and Ground-Water Quality |
| 1987 | Hydrologic Events and Water Supple and Use |
| 1988-89 | Hydrologic Events and Floods and Droughts |
| 1990-91 | Hydrologic Events and Stream Water Quality |
| 1996 | National Water Summary on Wetland Resources |
Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. HE 20.7108:C 42/997. 1997. Published as a small, ring-bound reference that could possibly fit in a fairly large pocket, the Pocket Guide is designed to provide a source of easy-to-find information on hazardous chemicals and what to do in case of exposure. There are indexes by synonyms and trade names, CAS (American Chemical Society) registry number and Dept. of Transportation identification numbers. A more current version of the Guide is available online from NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health).
Toxic Release Inventory EP 5.22: 997/CD; on 7-day Reserve. Describes over 300 toxic chemicals the release of which must be reported by facilities using, processing or manufacturing them. Search access points include company, chemical, keyword, etc. User Guide is on reserve with the compact disk. There is a more recent version of the TRI on the web.
Resources on the Web
Go to Resources in the Library
GPO Browse Topics. This listing of links to government sites is by broad subject. They have a major Environment page, as well as sub-pages dealing with: Air Pollution • Urban Planning
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC). This agency is the primary global-change data and information analysis center of the Dept. of Energy. Its web site contains links to resources of all kinds from the very technical to those intended for the general public. A page of links to reference tools, such as a glossary, charts of CO2 concentrations, etc., and a FAQ page of global warming questions and answers are useful examples of this wide-reaching approach. The site is also searchable.
Climate Change. Available through the United Nations Environmental Network, this portal contains resources organized by theme and regionally. In addition to resources giving background information, the site also includes official documents dealing with the subject.
Cooperative Conservation. Highlights partnerships and grass-roots initiatives to improve local environments. The site includes legal, planning and scientific resources to aid in these efforts as well as links to funding sources.
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The EPA has a vast web presence but a very well-designed main site for navigating it. There is a list of "Quick Finder" topics near the top of the page leading to information on such subjects as asbestos, recycling, wetlands, etc. "Browse EPA Topics" takes you to a complete list of subjects for which information is available. Another useful feature of the site is "Where you live," where you can find links to information about specific areas of the country. Some major subsidiary sites of EPA are:
Globalchange.gov. This is a collection of information systems operated by government agencies involved in global change research. It is operated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
National Environmental Data Index. This index provides full-text searching and retrieval of environmental information from several U.S. agencies. Information covered includes datasets, text documents and websites.
National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. This component of the National Institutes of Health supports research into the interaction of environmental factors with other causes of disease and disability.
National Pesticide Information Center. A collaboration of EPA and Oregon State University, this website offers scientific and regulatory information on pesticides and pesticide use for all types of users.
National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Data, maps and other information on the water quality in more than 50 river basins and aquifer systems.
NEPANet (National Environmental Policy Act). The Act was passed in 1969 to coordinate the environmental activities of the government, and is overseen by the President's Council on Environmental Quality.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This Web site offers both technical and general information on the nuclear power industry and nuclear science and technology.
Pesticides in the Hydrologic System. This site reports information from a U.S. Geological Survey assessment of pesticides in streams, rivers, and ground water. Information can be found by pesticide or by geographic area; the site is searchable.
TOXMAP. This service from the National Institutes of Health gives toxic chemical release information by location, or by chemical. Links are provided to reference materials for help in understanding the data and the individual toxic compounds.
House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Resources and Science.
Senate Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public Works.
There is some variation among Congressional Committee Web sites as to content. But all of them will have at least some information on legislation they are currently considering. So for information of this kind, these are good sites to consult. Some Committees, however, will have more historical information available than others.
Compilation of Selected Energy-Related Legislation. Y 4.C 73/8:[Congress number- ] . This series of compilations is reissued periodically (the Library keeps only the latest editions) and is a simple reprinting of laws in force, with no explanatory material.
The Energy Information Administration publishes a variety of statistical information on energy production and consumption, very little of which is still received in tangible format in the Library, but we have somel historical material. Here are the major statistical series of the EIA held by the Library, with the years available. (More current information is available on the agency's website). Some titles are split between paper and microfiche formats:
| Title | Call no. | Paper | Microfiche |
| Annual Energy Review | E 3.1/2: | 1982-91 | 1992- |
| Annual Energy Outlook | E 3.1/4: | 1985-92 | |
| Commercial Nuclear Power | E 3.51: | 1985-91 | |
| International Energy Annual | E 3.11/20: | 1979,1981-89 | 1990-93 |
| Inventory of Power Plants in the U.S. | E 3.29: | 1980-90 | 1991- |
| Natural Gas Annual | E3.11/2-2: | 1987-90 | |
| Short-Term Energy Outlook | E 3.31: | Latest 5 years | |
| State Energy Data Report | E 3.42: | 1991- |
Monthly Energy Review. Current data on production, consumption, stocks, imports/exports and prices of U.S. energy commodities. There is some international data. Printed copies are no longer kept in the Library. Current issues and archives back several years are available online from the Energy Information Administration.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Report on Abnormal Occurrences Y 3.N 88:20/ . Quarterly. 1980-. Reports of incidents determined to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety. The most recent report is also available online from the NRC's website.
Nuclear Safety. Periodicals. 1988-98. Quarterly. Contains scholarly articles, but accessible to non-specialists. There are regular features on reactor shutdowns and rule changes. Selected full text is available to St. Mary's students through database vendors. Check our Locating Journals page.
Go to Resources in the Library
GPO Browse Topics. This listing of links to government sites is by broad subject. Topics relevant to energy are:
Energy • Nuclear Power • Solar Energy
DOE (Department of Energy). The site offers paths to information by broad subjects, including National Security, Energy Efficiency, Energy Prices and Trends, etc. The Energy Information Administration collects and disseminates statistical information regarding energy production and consumption for both the U.S. and the world. Some historical data is available. Their Home Energy Saver is an interactive site which allows users get customized information that can save energy around the home.
The main section of DOE for information dissemination is their Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) , which provides these major databases:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This agency regulates interstate transmission of energy. The website contains a wealth of legal and economic information on the energy industry. Their ELibrary contains 20 years of filings and other documents.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This lab provides information on all kinds of renewable energy—wind, solar, geothermal, etc.—as well as electricity generation and alternative vehicle fuels. They also provide a database of technical report citations back to 1977, some of which have links to full-text electronic versions.
House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Resources and Science.
Senate Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public Works.
There is some variation among Congressional Committee Web sites as to content. But all of them will have at least some information on legislation they are currently considering. So for information of this kind, these are good sites to consult. Some Committees, however, will have more historical information available than others.
A selection of links to government databases in the sciences and technology can be found on our Government Databases in Scientific and Technical Fields page.
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