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Environmental Law: The Basics

Common Abbreviations

This is a list of some of the more common abbreviations students and researchers may encounter in the practice or study of environmental law. This is not  meant to serve as a comprehensive list of environmental law abbreviations. For a more comprehensive list, please refer to Hong, J. (ed.). (1995). Environmental Acronyms (Rockville, MD: Government Institutes). 
  • APA--Administrative Procedure Act
  • ATSDR--Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
  • BLM--Bureau of Land Management
  • BOD--Biological Oxygen Demand
  • CAA--Clean Air Act
  • CEM--Continuous Emission Monitoring
  • CEQ--Council on Environmental Quality
  • CERCLA--Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act
  • CFR--Code of Federal Regulations
  • CFC--Chlorofluorocarbon
  • CO--Carbon Monoxide
  • CWA--Clean Water Act
  • CZMA--Coastal Zone Management Act
  • DOE--Department of Energy
  • EPA--Environmental Protection Agency
  • EPCRA--Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act
  • ESA--Endangered Species Act
  • FAA--Federal Aviation Administration
  • FERC--Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
  • FIFRA--Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
  • FONSI--Finding of No Significant (Environmental) Impact
  • FWOCA--Federal Water Pollution Control Act
  • FWS--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • HAP--Hazardous Air Pollutant
  • HCs--Hydrocarbons
  • HFCHs--Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (chemicals)
  • HOV--High Occupancy Vehicle
  • HRS--Hazardous Ranking System
  • IEL--International Environmental Law
  • I/M--Inspection and Maintenance
  • LRMP--Land and Resource Management Plan
  • LUST--Leaking Underground Storage Tank
  • MOU--Memorandum of Understanding
  • NAAQS--National Ambient Air Quality Standards
  • NEPA--National Environmental Protection Act
  • NOAA--National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • NRC--Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • OSHA--Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • PEIS--Program Environmental Impact Statement
  • PRP--Potentially Responsible Party
  • RCRA--Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
  • RI--Remedial Inspection
  • ROD--Record of Decision
  • SARA--Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
  • SDWA--Safe Drinking Water Act
  • SEIS--Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
  • SIP--State Implementation Plan
  • TSCA--Toxic Substances Control Act
  • TSD--Treatment, Storage, or Disposal (facility)
  • TVA--Tennessee Valley Authority
  • UNESCO--United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
  • UST--Underground Storage Tank
  • VOC--Volatile Organic Compound
  • WHO--World Health Organization
  • WMO--World Meteorological Organization
  • ZEV--Zero Emission Vehicle

Overviews

For a quick glance at environmental law issues, try one of these volumes.

Study Aids

The UDM Law Library offers a wide variety of study aids in the area of environmental law. The most current titles are held on reserve and are available for in-library use only from the circulation desk.

Major Treatises

The UDM Law Library offers students, faculty, and researchers a variety of treatises specific to environmental law. 

CALI Lessons

There are currently fifty-nine (59) CALI lessons dedicated specifically to the area of environmental law. Topics include a wide variety of specific environmental law subjects such a climate change, the Clean Water Act, and constitutional aspects of environmental law. Also included is an administrative law primer on environmental and natural resources for law students.