Environmental Law
Overview
Environmental law is a body of law dedicated to protecting the natural environment from degradation because of human influences. The earliest legal remedies available for environmental problems can be found in the common law under trespass and nuisance. While these two causes of action are still valid, the “right to farm” laws enacted in all fifty states have limited their effect. Specific statutory protection of the environment began in 1899, when the United States passed the first federal environmental law. Entitled the Rivers and Harbors Act, it provided a legal alternative to limiting the amount of water pollution in the nation’s navigable waters. Modern environmental law began developing in the 1950s with the passage of statutes such as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (later referred to as the Clean Water Act) and the Clean Air Act. Read the full overview.
Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.
Major Statutes
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601–9628; 9631-9641; 9651-9662; 9671-9675
Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. §§ 121; 135-136y
Federal Water Pollution and Control Act (Clean Water Act (CWA)), 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251-1276b; 1281-1302f; 1311-1330; 1341-1346; 1361-1377a; 1381-1389
Federal Air Pollution and Control Act (Clean Air Act (CAA)), 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7515; 7521-7590; 7601-7628; 7641-7642; 7651-7651o; 7661-7661f; 7671-7671q; 7675
Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531-1544
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321; 4331-4336f; 4341-4347; 4361-4370j; 4370m-4370m-12
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901-6908a; 6911-6917; 6921-6939g; 6941-6949a; 6951-6956; 6961-6966d; 6971-6979b; 6981-6987; 6991-6991m; 6992-6992k
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601-2629
Regulations
Air Programs Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 50-98
Water Programs Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 104-149
Pesticide Programs Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 150; 152-180
Ocean Dumping Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 220-238
Solid Waste Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 239-258; 260-282
Superfund, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Programs Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 300-374
Effluent Guidelines and Standards Regulations, 40 C.F.R. pts. 401; 403-415; 417-430; 432-471
Air Pollution Controls, 40 C.F.R. pts. 1027-1054
Search Federal Register Regulations
Case Law
Case Law Index for Environmental Law
Administrative Law Decisions
EPA Office of Administrative Law Judges- Decisions, Orders and Filings
Environmental Appeals Board- Published Decisions by Statute
EPA Civil Cases and Settlements by Statute
USDA National Appeals Division
Center published USDA Judicial Officer Decisions
Center Research Publications
States’ “Mini-NEPA” Laws (Rollins & Roberson, 2025)
Farmers’ Guide to Carbon Market Contracts (Carpenter & Kuehn, 2025)
States’ Wetlands Permitting Statutes (Rollins & Gaspard, 2025)
Alternative Protein Laws State Compilation (Stone, Christopherson, & Whitest, 2025)
Pesticide Registration Improvement Act Factsheet (Smith & Rollins, 2025)
The National Agricultural Law Center’s Endangered Species Act Manual: A Practical Guide to the ESA for Agricultural Producers (Rollins, 2023)
Land Use Conflicts Between Wind and Solar Renewable Energy and Agricultural Uses (Hall, Morgan, Richardson; 2022)
Voluntary Approaches to Agricultural Water Pollution Reduction (Reid, 2022)
States’ Noxious Weed Laws (Kirk Hall & Hivick, 2021)
FIFRA: Steps to Pesticide Registration (Vance & Rollins, 2020)
50-State Survey: Landowner Liability for Spray Drift (Lashmet & Zetzsche, 2020)
Waters of the United States: Timeline of Definitions (Rollins, 2020)
Mandatory Legal Approaches to Agricultural Nutrient Management: State Compilation (Essman & Brown, 2020)
Agricultural Nutrients and Water Quality: Recent Litigation in the United States (Essman & Hivick, 2020)
Issue Brief: Conduit Theory Under the CWA (Barker & R. Rumley, 2019)
State Legal Approaches to Reducing Water Quality Impacts from the Use of Agricultural Nutrients on Farmland (Hall & Essman, 2019)
Understanding Solar Energy Agreements (Ferrell, 2019)
Issue Brief: United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Orders EPA to Ban Chlorpyrifos (Wilkerson & Rumley, 2018)
Potential Spray Drift Damage: What Steps to Take? (Lashmet, 2017)
Approval of Pesticides (R. Rumley, 2012)
Water Quality Credit Trading: A Primer of Background Material (Jackson, 2010)
The Clean Water Act: Current Status and Potential Changes– PowerPoint Presentation (R. Rumley, 2010)
The Clean Water Authority Restoration Act: A Primer of Background Material(Goeringer & Rumley, 2009)
Environmental Law: Federal Laws That Affect Agriculture – PowerPoint Presentation (Springsteen, 2009)
Clarifying NPDES Requirements for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (Centner, 2007)
2005 Environmental Law Update (Feitshans, 2006)
From the Farm to the Factory: An Overview of the American and European Approaches to Regulation of the Beef Industry (Houston, 2006)
Supreme Court Considers Preemption of State Law Claims Under the FIFRA (Pittman, 2005)
Managing Carbon in a World Economy: The Role of American Agriculture (Garry, 2005)
Biodiversity and Law: Culture of Agriculture and Nature of Nature Conservation (Harbison, 2004)
Biodiversity and the Law of Nature Conservation in Great Britain (Harbison, 2004)
Governmental Oversight of Animal Feeding Operations (Centner, 2003)
Legal Liability Issues in Agricultural Biotechnology (Kershen, 2002)
Ag & Food Law Update blog topics:
Congressional Research Service Reports
Reports– published and made available by CRS beginning in 2017.
Subjects- published by CRS and made available by NALC:
Climate Change
Environmental Issues
Water Resources
Agricultural Law Bibliography
Introduction | Keyword Search | Browse Categories
Legal publications on Environmental Law:
Aquaculture
Biotechnology
Environmental Issues
Forestry
Pesticides, Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides, Fertilizers
Public Lands
Water Rights: Agriculturally Related
Reference Resources
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
National Programs: Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Civil Works
Environmental Compliance
Environmental Program
National Notices and Program Initiatives
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Air Quality & Monitoring
Air Topics
Agriculture and Air Quality
Air Monitoring at Agricultural Operations
Chemical Management & Pollution
Agriculture Nutrient Management and Fertilizer
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Pesticides
Nutrient Pollution
Core Agriculture & Land Management
Agricultural Crops
Agricultural Animal Production
Agricultural Pasture, Rangeland, and Grazing
Agriculture
Agriculture and Soils
Agriculture and Sustainability
Agriculture Index
Laws, Compliance, & Policy
Laws and Regulations that Apply to Your Agricultural Operation by Farm Activity
Renewable Fuel Standard Program
Upcoming and Recent Compliance Dates
News & Resources
Agricultural Information from Federal, State, and Local Resources
Agriculture News and Alerts
Environmental Topics
Species & Habitat Protection
Endangered Species Protection Bulletins
Protecting Endangered Species from Pesticides
Water Quality & Regulations
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Nonpoint Source Pollution
NPDES AFOs Policy Documents
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act: Permitting Discharges of Dredge or Fill Material
Water Topics
Economic Research Service (ERS)
Bioenergy
ERS Newsroom
ERS Publications
Farm Practices and Management Farm Practices and Management
Biotechnology
Crop & Livestock Practices
Fertilizers & Pesticides
Irrigation & Water Use
Natural Resources & Environment
Conservation Programs
Organic Agriculture
Selected ERS Recommended Readings:
Economic Outcomes of Soil Health and Conservation Practices on U.S. Cropland (Bowman, et al., 2025)
Potential Budgetary Impacts of Climate Change on the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Insurance Plan (Turner, et al., 2024)
The Effect of Climate Change on Herbaceous Biomass and Implications for Global Cattle Production (Vaiknoras, et al., 2024)
Land Use of Rejected, Enrolled, and Expiring Fields in the Conservation Reserve Program (Rosenberg, et al., 2024)
Cover Crops on Livestock Operations: Potential for Expansion in the United States (Bowman, et al., 2024)
The Role of Commercial Energy Payments in Agricultural Producer Income (Winikoff & Maguire, 2024)
Producers’ Net Costs Influence Offers to USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (Pratt & Wallander, 2022)
U.S. Food-Related Water Use Varies by Food Category, Supply Chain Stage, and Dietary Pattern (Rehkamp & Canning, 2021)
Tracking the U.S. Domestic Food Supply Chain’s Freshwater Use Over Time (Rehkamp, Canning, & Birney, 2021)
Persistent Cover Crop Adoption Varies by Primary Commodity Crop (Wallander, 2021)
Cover Crop Trends, Programs, and Practices in the United States (Wallander, Smith, Bowman, & Claassen, 2021)
Resource Requirements of Food Demand in the United States (Canning, Rehkamp, Hitaj, & Peters, 2020)
Partially Completed Conservation Contracts Reveal On-Farm Practice Incentives (Wallander & Maguire, 2020)
The Fate of Land in Expiring Conservation Reserve Program Contracts (Bigelow, Claassen, Hellerstein, Breneman, Williams, & You, 2020)
Patterns of Pesticide Use, Exposure, and Toxicity Jointly Determine Impacts on Honeybees and Other Pollinators (Smith & Hitaj, 2019)
Conservation Compliance: How Farmer Incentives Are Changing in the Crop Insurance Era (Claassen et. al., 2017)
Farmers Employ Strategies to Reduce Risk of Drought Damages Wallander, Marshall, & Aillery, 2017)
Declines in Pollinator Forage Suitability Were Concentrated in the Midwest, the Over-Summering Grounds for Many Honeybees (Hitaj, Smith, & Hellerstein, 2017)
Global Ethanol Mandates: Opportunities for U.S. Exports of Ethanol and DDGS (Beckman & Nigatu, 2017)
Dedicating Agricultural Land to Energy Crops Would Shift Land Use (Sands & Malcolm, 2017)
Land Use, Land Cover, and Pollinator Health: A Review and Trend Analysis (Hellerstein et. at., 2017)
The Evolving Distribution of Payments from Commodity, Conservation, and Federal Crop Insurance Programs (McFadden & Hoppe, 2017)
Dedicated Energy Crops and Competition for Agricultural Land (Sands et. al., 2017)
The Role of Fossil Fuels in the U.S. Food System and the American Diet (Canning et. al., 2017)
Farm Profits and Adoption of Precision Agriculture (Schimmelpfennig, 2016)
An Economic Perspective on Soil Health (Bowman, Wallander, & Lynch, 2016)
Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems: Implications for Conservation Policy (Ribaudo et. al., 2011)
Trends and Developments in Hog Manure Management: 1998-2009 (Key et. al., 2011)
Grassland to Cropland Conversion in the Northern Plains: The Role of Crop Insurance, Commodity, and Disaster Programs (Claassen et. al., 2011)
Report to Congress: Measuring the Indirect Land-Use Change Associated with Increased Biofuel Feedstock Production (Marshall et. al., 2011)
Integrating Invasive Species Prevention and Control Policies (Livingston & Osteen, 2008)
The Use of Markets to Increase Private Investment in Environmental Stewardship (Ribaudo et. al., 2008)
Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Biomass Crop Assistance Program
Conservation Programs
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
CRP Grasslands
Emergency Conservation Program
Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)
Environmental and Cultural Compliance
Fact Sheets
Farmable Wetlands Program
Find a Program
Transition and Incentives Program
FSA Handbooks
“Grassroots” Source Water Protection Program
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
Ecological Services
Endangered Species
Pesticide Registration and Endangered Species Act Consultation
Tools for Conservation Partnerships
National Agricultural Library (NAL)
Agricultural Law Information Partnership
Climate Change
Irrigation Techniques
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Natural Resources, Conservation, and Environment
National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC)
Soil Research and Resources
Sustainable Agriculture
Water and Agriculture Information Center (WAIC)
Water Quality
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Agricultural Air Quality Task Force
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
Agricultural Management Assistance
Conservation Basics
Conservation Compliance for Highly Erodible Land
Conservation Compliance for Wetlands
Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)
Conservation Technical Assistance
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Getting Assistance (Financial, Technical, Partnership)
Irrigation and Water Management
Natural Resource Concerns
Programs & Initiatives
United States Forest Service (USFS)
Ecosystem Management Coordination
Forest Service Publications
Managing the Land
Natural Resources
Water, Air, and Soil
Congressional Resources
Government Accountability Office – Agriculture and Food
Government Accountability Office – Natural Resources and Environment
U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce
U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources
U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Other Federal Resources
Chemical Contaminants, Metals, Natural Toxins, & Pesticides Guidance Documents & Regulations (Food and Drug Administration)
Pesticide Illness and Injury Surveillance (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC)
Publications
Farmer’s Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, 2025)
Why Aren’t PFAS Compounds in Land Applied Biosolids Regulated by EPA? (Duer, 2025)
FIFRA, ESA, and Pesticide Consultation: Understanding and Addressing the Complexities (CAST, 2024)
“Waters of the United States,” an Overview of the New Rule (Marie, 2023)
U.S. Supreme Court Restricts Federal Jurisdiction over Wetlands (Tidgren, 2023)
Growing Opportunity: A Guide to USDA Sustainable Farming Programs (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, 2022)
Making Waves: Right In Our Backyard – Surface Discharge of Untreated Wastewater from Homes in the United States. (Maxcy-Brown, Elliott, Krometis, Brown, White, Lall, 2021)
State Regulatory Heterogeneity and Compliance With the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts (Elbakidze, Beeson, 2021)
Surface and Groundwater Regulation (Hill & Aldredge, 2016)
One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if by Air: The Changing Face of Environmental Regulation of Production Agriculture (Ferrell & Lashmet, 2016)
Waters of the United States and the Clean Water Act: Implications for Agriculture (Bradbury & Smith, 2016)
The Creature from the Potomac Basin: Environmental Law Under the Trump Administration (Ferrell, Goeringer & Lashmet, 2017)
A Landowner’s Guide to Hydraulic Fracturing: Addressing Environmental and Health Issues in Oil & Gas Leases (Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic)
Environmental impacts of genetically modified (GM) crop use 1996-2015: Impacts on pesticide use and carbon emissions (Brookes & Barfoot, 2017)
Trade in the US and Mexico helps reduce environmental costs of agriculture (Martinez-Melendez & Bennett, 2016)
Large Scale GIS Geodatabase of Soil Parameters Supporting the Modeling of Conservation Practice Alternatives in the United States (Arnold et. al., 2017)
Pesticide Drift Liability (Part 1): Potential Legal Theories (Tex. Agric. L. Blog, 2016)
Today’s Farms Need Specialized Environmental Coverage (Insurance Journal, Scheider, 2016)
Cautionary tale of manure, insurance, and the neighbor’s well (Boley-Hellwarth, 2015)
Environmental and Socioeconomic Indicators for Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm Agricultural Production in the United States (Field to Market: The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, 2016))
Legal Liability Issues for Handling Manure (Hall, OH St. Ext., 2007)
Is Your Farm “EQIPed” for Conservation? A Farmers’ Guide to Understanding the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (Farmers’ Legal Action Group – FLAG, 2007)
International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – FAO, 2010)
Iowa Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Air Quality Study (U. of IA, 2003)
Additional Resources
American Farmland Trust
Clean Air Act Tools (GASP, Clean Air. Healthy Communities)
Conservation Stewardship Program (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition)
Conservation Reserve Program (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition)
Environment, Energy, and Resources Section (American Bar Association)
Environmental Law Posts (NALC Ag & Food Law Blog)
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act Fact Sheet (Retail Compliance Center)
Pesticide Information Profiles (EXTOXNET)
Pesticide Management (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
Pesticide Mitigation Tracker (FIFRA Endangered Species Task Force)