Geography & Environmental Studies Research Guide

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's website includes links to publications, technical reports, and newsletters published by the EPA, as well as links to other reports published by the different offices of the EPA.

The USGS is a science organization that provides impartial information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, the impacts of climate and land-use change, and the core science systems that help us provide timely, relevant, and useable information. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. This site has maps, photos, news, and educational materials

The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. It displays statistical data in tables and maps on commuting, geographic mobility, migration, housing, immigration, population estimates and projections, and metropolitan and micropolitan areas.

This site provides weather data and publications from the National Climatic Data Center, including climatological, precipitation, and storm data.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service maintains this website dedicated to the Endangered Species Program, and includes on its site documents pertaining to species listing, sections of the Endangered Species Act, and other publications related to Endangered Species policy.

Formed in 2005, CMAP integrates planning for land use and transportation in the metropolitan Chicago area and the seven counties of northeastern Illinois. There is a page devoted to programs and resources, which includes information about important activities and recent and older publications, training, and selected archival web pages. Also on the site is information about the GO TO 2040 plan.

Chicago Wilderness is a regional alliance of more than 260 organizations working together to restore local nature and improve the quality of life for all living things, by protecting the lands and waters on which we all depend. The site has a blog and a list of resources published by Chicago Wilderness, including PDFs of Chicago Wilderness' Atlas of Biodiversity.

An EPA site devoted the key issues in the Great Lakes area, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 35 tribes.

This website includes thousands of historical resources-including articles, photos, maps, broadsides and newspapers-related to Chicago's colorful and complex history are at your fingertips. Offers a historical perspective for some of the environmental and/or natural resource issues in Chicago.

Website maintained by the Library of Congress. Use to find information related to congressional bills, resolutions, public laws, amendments, and voting histories. Searches a variety of government publications including the Congressional Record and Committee Reports.

The U.S Government Printing Office (GPO) provides publishing and dissemination services for the official and authentic government publications to Congress, Federal agencies, Federal depository libraries, and the American public. Collections include: the Code of Federal Regulations; Compilation of Presidential Documents; Congressional Bills, Calendars, Documents, Hearings, Record, and Reports; the Federal Register; Public and Private Laws; United States Code; and United States Courts Opinions.

Site features Illinois legislation and laws, including bills and resolutions, compiled statutes, public acts, and legislative reports, information about the House and Senate members and committees and their contact information, as well as transcripts and audio/video from the Assembly.

Active bills for the 112th Congress are arranged alphabetically by popular title or subject so they're easy to find. Bill numbers are provided to facilitate research in THOMAS.

LII is a not-for-profit organization that believes everyone should be able to read and understand the laws that govern them, without cost. They publish law online, for free, create materials that help people understand law, and explore new technologies that make it easier for people to find the law. Includes Wex, LII's community-built, freely available legal dictionary and legal encyclopedia, and links to federal & state law resources, the Constitution, U.S. Code, Supreme Court, State statutes, and world law.

Information and documents from the Supreme Court.

Includes most recent decisions and archives of past decisions.

Includes opinions and oral arguments for the Supreme and Appellate Courts of Illinois.