Fall 2014. Research Process/Strategy Identify question Identify sources of the law for your question Locate those sources Search Review results Search.

Fall 2014

Research Process/Strategy

• Identify question• Identify sources of the law for your question• Locate those sources • Search• Review results • Search again• Repeat • OR• Secondary Sources-look at treatises, legal encyclopedias,

and law review articles to learn about the topic. • Create a list of search/key terms.• Primary Sources-search for statutes, laws, regulations, and

case law.• Update your research, check pocket parts/supplements.• Search Again

Law Library Website

Treatises: Getting Started and Background Information

• Grad, Treatise on Environmental Law (on Lexis Advance)• Ginsberg & Philip, Environmental Law and Regulation in

New Yorko Law Reading Room, KFN5610 .G46 2009

• Guruswamy & Leach, International Environmental Law in a Nutshell o Call Number: Law Reserve, K3585.6 .G87 2012

• Rodgers, Environmental Lawo 4 volume set, analysis of statutes and regulations. Also

on WestlawNext.• Clean Air Act Handbook

o WestlawNext

Treatises: Getting Started and Background Information (cont.)

• To find a treatise online: WestlawNext: click on “Secondary Sources” then under By Type, choose Texts & Treatises, then By Topic, select Energy & Environment. Lexis Advance: click on Browse Topics, select Environmental Law or Energy & Utilities Law, click on a sub-topic, choose the Second tab, and on right side column select Treatises. Bloomberg Law: Click “Books & Treatises” on homepage, search books by keyword or browse by publisher.

• When to ask a librarian: Your book is out and not due for months. You cannot find your treatise or publication online. You have searched several databases Westlaw, Bloomberg and Lexis but still can’t find an article on point. You have found a good citation, but can’t find a print or digital copy or a database is not accessible. You have found a citation to a book (in another book, WorldCat, Amazon, an article) and Hofstra doesn’t have it.

Books: Getting Started and Background Information

• Library catalog (LEXICAT) (a good book can provide background; citations to cases, articles, statutes, Congressional reports, internet sites)

• Search: keyword: “sea level”• Subject headings: Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects -- Atlantic Coast (Middle

Atlantic States) -- Forecasting.• Search: keyword: climate executive• Select: #20, Integrating U.S. climate, energy, and transportation policies [electronic

resource] : proceedings of three workshops / [edited by] Liisa Ecola and others. (2009)• Check contents and other subject headings: Environmental policy -- United States --

Congresses.• WorldCat-search by keyword, author, subject etc. Library can

interlibrary loan items-place ILL requests asap!• Electronic book tips: on Electronic Books (Ebrary): Must have

downloaded Ebrary Reader software; printing-under Tools; print limited number of pages.

Current Issues

BNA Databaseso Environment Reportero Daily Environment Reporto Environment & Safety Resource Centero International Environment Reportero World Climate Change Reporto Check other applicable BNA databases like Antitrust &

Trade Regulation Resource Center and International. Environment and Energy Daily News databases on Lexis Advance,

WestlawNext and Bloomberg Law. Environmental Law Reporter (available on

Lexis.com only: Environmental Law Report - All Materials)

Current Issues (cont.)

EPA.gov Federal agency websites:

http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/ Center for Climate and Energy Solutions NGO websites:

http://www.ngo.org/links/list.htm

http://www.epa.gov/

http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/

http://www.c2es.org/

http://www.ngo.org/links/list.htm

Law Library Article Finding Databases

Article Finding

Databases o Index to Legal Periodicalso Index to Foreign Legal Periodicalso HeinOnlineo Lexis Advanceo WestlawNexto SSRN (Social Science Research Network)-for scholarly working papers, forthcoming

law review articles, think tank articles (new and very recent research) (tip: use the Keywords section to find additional terms for the search.)

o Axinn Subject Databases-for interdisciplinary scholarly articles. Example: Business Source Premier, Academic Search Premier etc. (tip: use the Subject: Thesaurus Term or Subject features to find additional terms and articles for the search.)

Bibliographies (tip: use the term “bibliography” as keyword ex. Global Climate Change Bibliography. Annotated bibliographies provide summaries of the sources listed. Bibliographies can also be referred to as “References.”o Googleo HeinOnline, Lexis Advance and WestlawNext (search in Law Reviews and Journals)o Organizational and center sites (ex. Columbia’s Climate Law Bibliography)

Law Library Article Finding research guide

http://web.law.columbia.edu/climate-change/climate-law-bibliography

http://libguides.law.hofstra.edu/paper_writing_resources

Which statutes are applicable?

• Treatises• Environmental Law Research Guides (for

example, Georgetown Law Library's guide)• EPA website• Index to USCA or USCS

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/library/research/guides/environmental.cfm

http://www.epa.gov/

Where can I locate the relevant statutes?

Tips:• Know the difference between codified

statutes (USC, USCA, USCS) and public laws (Statutes at Large).

• Use the Popular Name Table.

Where can I locate the relevant statutes? (cont.)

• Law Library Federal Information – Legislative – provides links to online federal legislative sources.

• United State Code – available in print (Law Library Reading Room) or on Fdsys.

• United States Code Annotated (USCA) – available in print or in WestlawNext.

• United States Code Service (USCS) – available in print or in Lexis Advance.

http://law.hofstra.edu/academics/library/research/online/index.cfm?conf=11

Easy Legislative History

• HeinOnline (U.S. Federal Legislative History Library)-can search by publication. title, public law number and popular name.

• Lexis Advance and WestlawNext• ProQuest Congressional-can search by

keyword, code section, statutes at large, bill number, public law number.

Proposed Legislation

• Congress.gov

• Lexis Advance and WestlawNext

• Proquest Congressional

• Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law

https://www.congress.gov/

http://web.law.columbia.edu/climate-change

http://web.law.columbia.edu/climate-change

Executive Materials

• Law Library Federal Information – Executive - provides links for executive materials.

• White House Council on Environmental Qu

ality – provides executive orders, presidential Climate Action plan, news and more.

http://law.hofstra.edu/academics/library/research/online/index.cfm?conf=12

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq

What do federal agencies do?

• Rulemaking (regulations published in the Code of Federal Regulations)

• Adjudication (administrative decisions)

Which Agency?

• EPAo Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking

Water Act, CERCLA, NEPA, FIFRA, etc.• Endangered Species Act

o Dept. Interior: Fish and Wildlife Service; Dept. Commerce: National Marine Fisheries Service; NOAA

• Council On Environmental Qualityo NEPA

Federal Regulations

• Rulemaking

• Federal Register

• Code of Federal Regulations

Federal Register

• Federal Register – online and in print (Law Library Reading Room)

• Online sources:o FDsyso Lexis Advance and WestlawNexto HeinOnline

Code of Federal Regulations

• Code of Federal Regulations – online and in print (Law Library Reading Room)

• Online Sources:o FDsyso Lexis Advance and WestlawNexto HeinOnline

• Relevant volumes might include:o 40 CFR – Protection of Environmento 43 CFR – Public Lands: Interioro 18 CFR – Conservation of Power and Water Resources

Proposed Regulations

• Regulations.gov • Federal Register 2.0:

https://www.federalregister.gov/• Lexis Advance and WestlawNext • Agency websites• Columbia Law School Center for Climate

Change Law

http://www.regulations.gov/#!home

https://www.federalregister.gov/


Agency Decisions

• Agency Websites• Loose-leaf services• Bloomberg Law, Lexis Advance and

WestlawNext • Law Library Administrative Law Resources

and Regulatory Decisions research guides


http://law.hofstra.edu/_site_support/files/pdf/academics/library/library_guide_adminlaw.pdf

http://law.hofstra.edu/_site_support/files/pdf/academics/library/library_guide_regdecisions.pdf

Government Websites

• Science.gov (click on Energy and Energy Conservation; Energy and Energy Conservation; Environment & Environmental Quality)

• EPA.gov o Publications:

http://www.epa.gov/nscep/ http://www.epa.gov/nscep/

o Data

http://www.science.gov/

http://www.epa.gov/nscep/

http://www.epa.gov/nscep/

State Information

• Law.cornell.edu (law about, find by topic)• www.envcap.org (state regulations

resource locator)• Environment Reporter (BNA)• Lexis Advance• WestlawNext

http://www.law.cornell.edu/

http://www.envcap.org/

New York State Resources

• Dept. of Environmental Conservationo Environmental Conservation Law (enabling

legislation)o Free access to relevant regulations:

dec.ny.gov and http://www.dos.ny.gov/info/nycrr.html

o NYS Register: http://www.dos.ny.gov/info/register.htm

o Data at www.dec.ny.gov

http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi?COMMONQUERY=LAWS

http://www.dec.ny.gov/

http://www.dos.ny.gov/info/nycrr.html

Local Sources

• Don’t forget county and other entities can have governing environmental local laws and ordinances.

• Law Library sources: New York - Local/Municipal and State and Local Government.

Lexis Advance and WestlawNext Databases Topic Search

• Lexis Advance: go to Browse-->Topics-->Energy & Utilities Law OR Environmental Law.

• WestlawNext: go to Practice Areas-->Energy & Environment.

• Searching by topic provides access to all environmental law sources:o Environmental law treatiseso Environmental law caseso Environmental law statutes and administrative

materials

Case Law

• International Court of Justice• International Environmental Law Reports:

Law Classified, K3581.2 .R63• Environmental Law Reporter (available on

Lexis.com only: Environmental Law Report - All Materials)

• WestlawNext• Lexis Advance• Bloomberg Law

For additional research assistance:

• Email: [email protected] • Office 100H, 516-463-5851• Reference Desk

Research Exercise: The Endangered Species Act

Fall 2014. Research Process/Strategy Identify question Identify sources of the law for your question Locate those sources Search Review results Search.

Documents