January/February 2001

Five Best Databases For Researching Environmental Law Issues

Even if you don't specialize in environmental law, you occasionally may be faced with an environmental law issue. An easy way to focus your research is to access the environmental law practice-area data-bases on Westlaw. These databases provide quick access to primary case law, secondary sources, and administrative rules and regulations.  

Listed below are five databases that you can use to research environmental law issues. For a complete list of the environmental law databases available, click the plus symbol before Topical Materials by Area of Practice in the Westlaw Directory, then click the plus symbol before Environmental Law. 

Note: Click on the  to see a detailed description of the database.

FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW-COMBINED MATERIALS 

The Federal Environmental Law-Combined Materials database (FENV-ALL) includes federal case law pertaining to environmental law issues; environmental statutes and regulations from the United States Code Annotated®, Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations; and administrative materials such as orders released by the Environmental Protection Agency. 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW-FEDERAL AND STATE CASES 

The Environmental Law-Federal and State Cases database (ENV-CS-ALL) includes documents from the U.S. Supreme Court, courts of appeals, district courts, bankruptcy courts, Court of Federal Claims, Tax Court, military courts, and related federal and territorial courts plus documents from the state and local courts of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Subjects covered include radioactive, solid and toxic waste management; pollution; clean air and water acts; and the impact of administrative and zoning law on the environment. 

FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW-FINAL, TEMPORARY AND PROPOSED REGULATIONS 

The Federal Environmental Law-Final, Temporary and Proposed Regulations database (FENV-REG) includes documents released for publication in the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations. 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW-LAW REVIEWS, TEXTS AND BAR JOURNALS 

The Environmental Law-Law Reviews, Texts & Bar Journals database (ENV-TP) contains documents from law reviews, texts, American Jurisprudence 2d, CLE course materials, bar journals and legal practice-oriented periodicals pertaining to environmental law issues. 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW (TREATISE) 

The Environmental Law (Treatise) database (ENVLAW) contains the full text of Environmental Law by William H. Rodgers Jr. The database includes information on pesticides and other toxic substances, hazardous wastes and more.