National Environmental Groups
Free On-line Research Databases
Environmental Information
The Right to Know Network's
Environmental Databases: Search for plant emissions; spills;
hazardous waste storage, disposal and transport; permits; compliance
information; EPA court cases; Superfund sites and more by company or
geographic region. We recommend the Master search first to determine if
a more extensive search is required.
Chemical Fact Sheets: Have a question about a particular chemical?
If it's regulated, one of these sites should have information about it:
EPA
Chemical Fact Sheets:
Agency
for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry: Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets
Environmental Defense Fund's Scorecard
Project Find out who the polluters are in your community, what
they are releasing and what the potential health
effects are.
Environmental Protection
Agency's Envirofacts Warehouse: Search the EPA's data by
library, geographic region, facility etc. Envirofacts also includes mapping
tools which generate maps of sites and/or facilities or by county or zip
code.
Pennsylvania
DEP's Compliance Monitoring Database - Non Mining Sites
Pennsylvania
DEP's Compliance Monitoring Database - Mining Sites
Louisiana DEQ enforcement actions
Corporate Information
Search the Edgar Site at
the Securities and Exchange Commission (publicly traded companies only)
Find out who the directors, officers, subsidiaries, etc. of a corporation
are by searching their filings with the SEC. The 10-K form contains the
most information and often includes a section on environmental problems
and current litigation involving the company.
OSHA: Occupational Health and Safety Administration
The government agency that deals with worker safety issues. OSHA's
site contains information about compliance and regulations. There is a
searchable database of over 2.5 million OSHA reports since 1972. Also included
are texts from recent court cases and judgments.
National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB): Want to know if a company has a history of unfair labor
practices? The NLRB is the government agency that investigates and remedies
unfair labor practices by employers and unions. This link goes directly
to a searchable database of NLRB decisions and orders.
Public Record Retriever Network:
Published by BRB Publications, this site lists public record retrievers
in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. (Note, the retrievers
listed all charge for their services.) Also included are 285 state,
county, city and federal (court) URL's where you can access public record
information for free. For an explanation of why we believe examining
court cases when researching a corporation or individual is important (and
how to conduct this search yourself) please see our Court
Research Guide.
Corporate Watch Website
Corporate Accountability Project:
Information about Researching Corporations and how to understand and fight
Corporate Welfare.
Center for Health Environment
and Justice (CHEJ): "Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ),
formerly called the Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste, is a seventeen-year-old,
non-profit organization. Founded in 1981 by Lois Gibbs, leader of the campaign
at Love Canal, CHEJ is the only national environmental organization started
and led by grassroots organizers. Thousands of people contacted Lois as
her efforts and those of her neighbors captured national attention and
proved for the first time that toxic hazards are not an abstract issue,
but reality that can exist in everyone's backyard. CHEJ was created to
respond with information, assistance and solidarity." Their publications
catalog has extensive, cheap information packets on environmental issues
such as sewage sludge, incinerator ash, cement kilns, brownfields, dioxin,
etc.
Environmental Research Foundation:
ERF publishes RACHEL'S ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH WEEKLY, one of the most
comprehensive environmental e-zines around. This link goes directly to
a searchable index.
Project
Underground: Project Underground specializes in assisting activists
who are dealing with oil, gas and mining projects.
"In general we work to provide informational, technical, legal and
scientific support to communities facing oil, gas and mining operations;
as well as to campaign in support of communities adversely affected by
these industries."
Multinationals
Resource Center: MRC exists to help activists in the developing
world deal with global corporations. One of the best sites on the web to
find information about corporation's activities in other countries.
McDonalds and the McLibel
Trial
Corporate Welfare Pages: Interested
in whether the company you are dealing with is being subsidized by the
government with your tax dollars? These sites have the dirt.
Corporate Welfare Information
Center:
Baobob's
Corporate Power Information Center: Corporate Welfare
Corporate Welfare Information
Center
OMB
Watch's Corporate Give Aways Page
Political Information
Federal Election Commission: Campaign
finance records for elected federal officials. Political Action Committee
(PAC) information and filings are also available.
Center for Responsive Politics: Complete
campaign finance records and analysis of elections.
Thomas: The definitive
site for legislation in the US Congress. Find out the status and sponsors,
and view the text of federal legislation. Also available are legislative
agendas of Congress, information about committees etc. Includes searches
by bill number and key words.
Common Cause: Soft Money
Laundromat Project: Allows searches of soft money contributions to political parties. Information available includes: "The largest soft money donors to both Democrats and Republicans; Profiles of large soft money givers, including their legislative & lobbying priorities; Still unidentified "mystery donors" of $50,000 and more; Explanations of how soft money system is used, and how to shut down the system."
League of Conservation Voters:
Watchdog organization that seeks to educate the electorate about
environmental legislation in Congress. Information includes: members voting
records, profiles and information about key issues.
Find and Write Your Representative:
Run by the US Government, this web site allows you to find out who your
Rep. is and to send him/her letters via email.
Politcal Information Search
Engine: Targeted search engine for poltics and policy on the
web.
The National Institute on Money
in State Politics offers data on campaign contributions to officials
in state government. If the information you are looking for is unavailable,
contact us and we can direct you
to the agency in your state that has the information.
Misc. Information
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) The
federal agency that handles consumer issues and protection.
California Air Resources
Board: Information about air quality regulations, emissions, assistance
programs for business and industry, etc.
Online Telephone Databases:switchboard.com or anywho.com
Enforcement
Suspect an Environmental Crime? Try these links
to report it
(Note: This section is still under construction)
For the Boston Area: Go to The
Boston Police Department's Envirocop page to find out how and
where to report it
If you suspect or have evidence of an environmental crime that is in
violation of federal law, Call your local or regional FBI office and
report it. The FBI is one of the primary agencies in charge of
investiagtion of environmental crimes. Currently they are increasing their
investigation and prosecution of polluters. The suspected crime must be
a violation of federal laws. For example the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act, which governs the treatment, storage and disposal of
hazardous wastes or the Clean Water Act which governs discharges of pollutants
to bodies of water.
Other Environmental Resources:
Looking for a group, information about an issue or up to date
environmental news? Try these sites
Envirolink's Web Directory
E Magazine: Independent
environmental magazine that seeks to "educate, inspire and empower Americans
to make a difference for the environment." Excellent coverage of environmental
issues. The online version has a great links site.
Amazing Environmental Organization
Web Directory
Environment Miningco:
A good starting place for finding environmental groups and issue-specific
information on the
internet.
John's Hopkins Environmental
Network
Duke University: Nicholas
School of the Environment
Essential Information:
Earth Vision Excellent site
for up to date issues and news.
Earth Systems: Huge Meta Site
with large database of groups and information. If you're looking for links
to international organizations in particular, Earth Systems is the place.
Environmental Canada's Green Lane/Environment
Canada: Canadian Environmental Clearinghouse Site
The Idealist Organization Homepage:
A project of Action Without Borders, Meta-site with Organizations, Issues,
Jobs and Internships.
Ethical Consumer Homepage:
Interested in the actions of a corporation? The Ethical Consumer web site
looks at the
activities of companies worldwide, and "shows how consumer power can
be used to 'vote' for our values."
Center for Environmental Study:
International Earth Day Site:
The web site of Earth Day founder John Mcconnell. "The reason for EarthSite
is to get attention for the following Earth Day idea, the idea that can
do the most for people and planet: "All individuals and institutions have
a mutual responsibility to now act as Trustees of Earth, seeking the choices
in ecology, economics and ethics that will eliminate pollution, poverty
and violence, foster peaceful progress, awaken the wonder of
life, and realize the best potential for the
future of the human adventure."
Global Response: "empowers
people of all ages, cultures, and nationalities to protect the environment
by creating partnerships for effective citizen action. At the request of
indigenous peoples and grassroots organizations, Global Response organizes
urgent international letter campaigns to help communities prevent many
kinds of environmental destruction. Global Response invloves young
people as well as adults in these campaigns to develop in them the values
and skills for global citizen cooperation and earth stewardship." Join
their network to receive information on how you can write letters to help
save the environment and protect international environmental activists.
Nuclear Information and Resource Service:
"The information and networking center for citizens and environmental
organizations concerned about nuclear power, radioactive waste,
radiation, and sustainable energy issues."
Environmental Justice Groups
The People of Color Environmental Groups Directory 2000:
Directory 2000 is the only resource guide of its type in the country. The current edition of the directory lists more than 400 people-of-color groups from 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, up from 200 groups in 1992. Created as a standard reference guide, the directory is designed to help environmental justice organizations network with one another, as well as aid public and private decisionmakers reach community constituents and stakeholder groups.
The above directory was compiled by the Clark Atlanta University's Environmental Justice Resource Center
The EcoJustice Network (soon to be updated)
Zero Waste Groups
GrassRoots Recycling Network
National Recycling Coalition
Zero Waste America
Regional, State, County, & Local Grassroots Environmental Groups
Toxics Action Center: Since
1987, Toxics Action Center (TAC) has assisted more than 200 neighborhood
groups fighting pollution in their communities. Toxics Action Center trains
and assists residents to wage effective campaigns against stubborn polluters
and red tape bureaucracies, pressuring officials to act to protect neighborhood
health and safety. They provide residents with information about environmental
laws, strategies for organizing against polluters, a network of activists
throughout the states, and access to legal and technical experts. TAC has
offices in Boston, Hartford, Connecticut, and Portland, Maine.
Woodrising Consulting A Canadian
consulting company that raises money for environmental groups through eco-tours.
Puget Sound Greenpages:
A site focusing on environmental issues and organizations in the Pacific
Northwest
Wild Rockies: The Grassroots
Activist Web Site for the Rockies Bioregion
Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers:
A Montana Based Environmental and Human Rights Organization
Center For Environmental Study
Organization dedicated to development of environmental education
for both formal and informal audiences.
The Orion Society: Environmental
education and support for grassroots groups.
The Agriculture,
Food, and Human Values Society: An an organization of professionals
dedicated to the study of values issues associated with the production,
distribution and consumption of food, fiber and natural resources. AFHVS
promotes open discussion of such questions as the sustainability of modern
food production practices, the benefits and risks of biological technologies,
and food security in developed and developing countries.
CA:
Mendocino Environmental Center:
Excellent Source for Groups and Information in the Mendocino County California
Area.
FL:
Environmental Action Group: A
Student group at the University of Florida. EAG is active on a host of
issues ranging from protecting Florida's forests to educating voters on
environmental issues.
IN:
South County Residents Opposing Dumps
(SCROD): Our favorite grassroots group web site
Hoosier Environmental
Council Source for environmental activists in Indiana
NJ:
TEACH (Toxic Environment Affects Children's
Health): A group of sixty families in Toms River, NJ that have a child
with cancer. Toms River has been recognized as a "cancer cluster" and
the members of TEACH are trying to find out why.
NY:
Save Our Future Action Coalition
(SOFAC) Non-Profit Environmental Network Organization linking
activists in the Mid-Hudson Valley Region of New York.
PA:
Pennsylvania Environmental Network (PEN):
"Pennsylvania Environmental Network is a network of grassroots environmental
groups throughout the state. These groups are fighting everything from
landfills, incinerators, nuclear dumps and sludge
spreading on farmlands to logging and mining or development battles.
PEN is a clearinghouse for information and technical expertise on organizing
and on various issues of interest to the grassroots."
Chester Residents Concerned
for Quality Living (CRCQL): "Chester, PA, is a 65% african-american,
low-income community Southwest of Philadelphia. The nation's fourth largest
garbage incinerator, the nation's largest medical waste autoclave, and
a
sewage treatment plant and sludge incinerator are all cited only yards
from the houses of Chester. The EPA has found that
blood lead-levels in Chester's children are "unacceptably high," that
"air emissions from facilities in and around Chester provide
a large component of the cancer and non-cancer risks to the citizens
of Chester," and that "both cancer and non-cancer risks,
e.g. kidney and liver disease and respiratory problems, from the pollution
sources at locations in the city of Chester exceed
levels which EPA believes are acceptable."
CRCQL is the local grassroots community organization that has been
fighting for environmental justice for the past four years.
ACTION Center
Homepage: The ACTION Center is an activist's collective in Philadelphia
Pa, which empowers people to work on environmental issues at the grassroots
level.
Finding Common
Ground Homepage Linking activists of all types at Pennsylvania
State University.
PepsiCo's
corporate ties to and involvement in Burma
TX:
Mother Organized to Stop Environmental
Sins (MOSES) Citizens group in Texas "moved to action so that our families
and especially our children can live a life free of fear and exposure to
toxic substances. M.O.S.E.S. is about citizens
rightfully in charge of their own community and future."
MOSES and some of its members were the subjects of a SLAPP suit. Read
about the suit on our SLAPP's page.
WI:
Waukesha Environmental Action League:
Environmental group working to protect the natural resources of Waukesha
County Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Green
Party: Bringing personal/collective empowerment and ecological
integrity to the political system of Wisconsin.
National Environmental Groups
Student Environmental Action Coalition
(SEAC): "A student run and student led national network of progressive
organizations
and individuals whose aim is to uproot environmental injustices through
action and education. We define the environment to
include the physical, economical, political and cultural conditions
in which we live. By challenging the power structure which
threatens these environmental conditions, SEAC works to create progressive
social change on both the local and global levels."
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGS)
One of the nations leading environmental and consumer advocate groups
Environmental Defense Fund
Friends of the Earth
Sierra Club
National Resources Defense Council
National Audubon Society
Last modified: 2/28/01.