Month: January 2018

For the past several years, almost all newly published items added to the library’s collection have been in electronic format only. These items are accessible in full text through the library’s intranet catalog. Many old print materials have also been digitized and uploaded to the library’s catalog.

To get a general sense of a subject’s history, however, you may find it useful to browse the library stacks in certain locations to see print copies of older publications (and the occasional newer item that was published both electronically and in print). For publications related to the environment, call number ranges include, but are not limited to:

333 economics of land and energy
363.7 environmental problems and services
574 biology
628 sanitary and municipal engineering

Hard copies of mandated reports that were produced only once or as a limited series are shelved by the number of the act that required the report. Hard copies of mandated reports produced regularly with no set end date (for example, state agencies’ annual reports) are shelved in the stacks by subject.

Climate change indicators in the United States – biennial report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Connecticut greenhouse gas emissions inventory – annual report by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection

Farmland needed: how Connecticut can help farmers access the land they need to succeedFarmland needed: how Connecticut can help farmers access the land they need to succeed – by the American Farmland Trust and the CT Dept. of Agriculture, 2021

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) action planPer- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) action plan – by the CT Interagency PFAS Task Force, 2019

Performance audit: Farm-to-School Program FY2019, FY2020, and FY2021Performance audit: Farm-to-School Program FY2019, FY2020, and FY2021 – by the Auditors of Public Accounts, 2023

Performance audit: Governor’s Council for Agricultural Development 2011-2020Performance audit: Governor’s Council for Agricultural Development Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2020 – by the Auditors of Public Accounts, 2023

Statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan (SCORP) – periodic report by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection

Wildlife diversity program report – annual report by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection

Please note this is not an exhaustive list. Contact the library for these and other reports.

Actual or suspected instances of animal neglect or cruelty – annual report by the Dept. of Children and Families; pursuant to CGS 17a-100c

Batterson Park studyBatterson Park study – by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; pursuant to PA 23-204

Best management practices for farmers using seeds treated with neonicotinoid insecticidesBest management practices for farmers using seeds treated with neonicotinoid insecticides – by the Dept. of Agriculture; pursuant to PA 16-17 s.6

Clean Air Act fee and state expenditures – annual report by the Office of Policy and Management; pursuant to CGS 14-49b

Commission on Connecticut’s Development and Future final reportCommission on Connecticut’s Development and Future final report – pursuant to PA 21-29 s.13 and PA 22-74 s.22

Complaints re. hunting in proximity to certain areas – annual report by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; pursuant to CGS 26-67c

Connecticut animal population control program annual report – by the Dept. of Agriculture; pursuant to CGS 22-380k

Connecticut Grown promotional initiatives – annual report by the Dept. of Agriculture; pursuant to CGS 22-38a

Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) staffingDept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) staffing – by DEEP; pursuant to SA 21-23

Distillate Advisory Board progress report (heating oil) – annual report by the Dept. of Consumer Protection; pursuant to CGS 16a-21b(g)

Eelgrass Working Group recommendationsEelgrass Working Group recommendations – pursuant to SA 23-7

Environmental quality in Connecticut – annual report by the Council on Environmental Quality; pursuant to CGS 22a-12

Evaluation of Connecticut’s mattress stewardship programEvaluation of Connecticut’s mattress stewardship program – by DEEP; pursuant to PA 13-42 s.4

Food insecurity strategic planFood insecurity strategic plan – by the Dept. of Economic and Community Development; pursuant to PA 23-204 s.158

Governor’s Council on Climate Change recommendations – annual report; pursuant to Malloy EO 46 and Lamont EO 3

GreenerGovCT report on the implementation of the state sustainability initiativeGreenerGovCT report on the implementation of the state sustainability initiative – by the Steering Committee on State Sustainability; pursuant to Lamont EO 1 and CGS 16a-37u

Hemp production pilot program statusHemp production pilot program status – by the Dept. of Consumer Protection and Dept. of Agriculture; pursuant to PA 19-3 s.2(t)

Invasive Plants Council annual report – pursuant to CGS 22a-381a(e)

Long Island Sound blue plan (final draft) – by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; pursuant to CGS 25-157t

Nitrogen Credit Advisory Board annual report – by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; pursuant to CGS 22a-523(c)

Pollinator programPollinator program – by the Dept. of Transportation Bureau of Highway Operations and Maintenance; pursuant to PA 16-17 s.12

Proceeding to investigate waste-to-energyProceeding to investigate waste-to-energy – by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; pursuant to SA 22-11

State water plan status – annual report by the CT Water Planning Council; pursuant to CGS 22a-352(i)

Synthetic Microfiber Working Group findingsSynthetic Microfiber Working Group findings – published by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; pursuant to PA 18-181 s.6

Transfer Act Working Group reportTransfer Act Working Group report – pursuant to PA 19-75 s.3(d)

Vegetation management guidelines – by the Dept. of Transportation; pursuant to PA 23-135 s.33

Water Utility Coordinating Committee planning process for public water systems annual report – by the Dept. of Public Health; pursuant to CGS 25-33n

Dog Law in Connecticut – research guide by the Judicial Branch Law Libraries

Laws and Regulations Regarding Connecticut Trees – compiled by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection

GreenFILE (the database is under “Health and Science” on the linked page) – from EBSCO: “GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records, as well as Open Access full text for more than 4,700 records.” Free access from your desk, or off-campus with a Connecticut public library card.

NCSL Environment and Natural Resources Bill Tracking Database – from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tracks legislation from 2008-present.

PubAg – from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Library: “PubAg contains full-text articles relevant to the agricultural sciences, along with citations to peer-reviewed journal articles with links to publisher sites and elsewhere for full-text access … PubAg covers all of the core topics of the agricultural sciences including nutrition, food safety, food quality, animal and crop production and protection, natural resources, sustainable agricultural systems, rural development, agricultural economic and policy issues, agricultural imports and exports, agricultural statistics, extramural research, and Extension education.” Free access.

MedlinePlus Environmental Health – from the U.S. National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health (part of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services). Articles, summaries, statistics, and other resources on environmental health topics. Free access.

CASE Bulletin – Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering; electronic subscription.

CBIA News – CT Business and Industry Association; print subscription.

CT Wildlife – CT Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; print subscription.

CT Woodlands – CT Forest and Park Association; print subscription.

Environmental Monitor – CT Council on Environmental Quality; electronic subscription.

Resource Recycling – print subscription.

State agencies

Agricultural Experiment Station

Dept. of Agriculture

Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection

 

State boards, commissions, and task forces

Connecticut Green Bank

Council on Environmental Quality

Siting Council

Task Force Concerning the Sale of Cats and Dogs at CT Pet Shops from Inhumane Origins

Task Force for Humane Treatment of Animals in Municipal and Regional Shelters

 

Federal government

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA Region 1 (New England)

Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Fish and Wildlife Service

National Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources

 

Other organizations

American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources

American Bar Association Committee on Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)

National Agricultural Law Center at the University of Arkansas School of Law

 

Other online resources

University of Vermont Law School directory of online resources on environmental law

Michigan State University College of Law Animal Legal and Historical Center – sources of animal law, including cases, statutes, articles, and more

Photographs from aerial surveys of Connecticut at the Connecticut State Library

For OLR Reports and other materials related to the Environment Committee’s work, index headings include:

Agriculture
Animals – Law and Legislation
Beaches
Brownfields
Camps and Campgrounds
Carcinogens
Coastal Zone Management
Containers – Beverage
CT Resources Recovery Authority
Dairy Products
Dredging
Drinking Water
Energy – Renewable Resources
Energy and Environmental Protection – CT Dept. of
Energy Conservation
Fish and Game
Flood Control
Food Products
Gasoline
Gypsy Moths
Harbors
Hazardous Waste
Inland Wetlands
Land
Lead Poisoning
Litter
Long Island Sound
Marine Resources
Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA)
Mining
Motor Vehicles – Emissions Control System
Natural Resources
Oil
Open Space
Parks and Forests
Pesticides
Pollution – Air
Pollution – Water
Pollution Control
Property
Radioactive Waste
Recreation
Rivers
Road Salt
Rural Development
Soil Conservation
Solid Waste Management
Toxic Substances
Trees
Veterinary Medicine
Water and Related Resources
Watershed Land

The library assigns topical index headings to all OLR Reports and keeps hard copies of the reports organized by these index headings. Reports from 1994 to the present are in the library’s file cabinets (aka the “vertical files”) in the red-tabbed folders, as well as online in full text. Older reports are in two sets of bound volumes (one set for the 1970s, and one for 1980-1993) on the library’s shelves.

The same index headings the library uses for OLR Reports have been used to organize over 600 subject files of materials such as newspaper clippings, court decisions, press releases, pamphlets, and other resources that would be more difficult to locate if they were dispersed throughout the library’s general collection. The subject files are in the blue-tabbed folders in the file cabinets. (Many of the items in these folders have also been digitized by the library, and their electronic versions can be found in the library’s intranet catalog.)

The Office of Legislative Research writes nonpartisan reports for legislators on various topics. Recent reports related to the Environment Committee’s subject areas include:

2024 Acts Affecting Animals and Agriculture – 2024-R-0089

2024 Acts Affecting Environment – 2024-R-0083

Beverage Container Redemption Fraud – 2024-R-0055

Statutory Eelgrass Protections in New York and Connecticut – 2024-R-0061

Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Fees – 2024-R-0042

Pesticide Application in Railway Corridors – 2023-R-0298

PFAS Legislation in Connecticut – 2023-R-0258

Ozone Exceedance Days – 2023-0254

State Laws Regulating PFAS in Clothing and Other Textiles – 2023-R-0115

Changes to Connecticut’s Littering Law – 2023-R-0231