Small business owners must abide by various laws and regulations while operating their business, depending on the type of industry they operate in. These include environmental laws enacted at both the federal and state levels. A few of the key federal laws include the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

Some laws that are only applicable to certain industries, such as special protections for agricultural workers. The best way to find out more about the environmental laws that affect your business, given the industry you're involved in and the location of your business, is to contact the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA's main headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., but there are also 10 different regional offices throughout the United States that focus specifically on enforcing and maintaining environmental protections in those areas. In addition, each region also serves Native American tribes located there. You may contact the EPA if you have questions about a specific activity taking place in your neighborhood or state, to report a violation of environmental laws, or to learn more about the environmental measures in place.

Washington, D.C. Headquarters
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 272-0167
Telephone for speech and hearing impaired: (202) 272-0165
Website: http://www.epa.gov

EPA Region 1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Environmental Protection Agency
5 Post Office Square - Suite 100
Boston, MA 02109-3912
Telephone: (617) 918-1111
Toll free within Region 1: (888) 372-7341

EPA Region 2: New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
Environmental Protection Agency
290 Broadway
New York, NY 10007-1866
Telephone: (212) 637-3000

EPA Region 3: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
Environmental Protection Agency
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
Telephone: (215) 814-5000
Toll Free: (800) 438-2474

EPA Region 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Environmental Protection Agency
Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303-3104
Telephone: (404) 562-9900
Toll Free: (800) 241-1754

EPA Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin
Environmental Protection Agency
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3507
Telephone: (312) 353-2000
Toll free within Region 5: (800) 621-8431

EPA Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Environmental Protection Agency
Fountain Place 12th Floor, Suite 1200
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Telephone: (214) 665-2200
Toll free within Region 6: (800) 887-6063

EPA Region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Environmental Protection Agency
11201 Renner Blvd.
Lenexa, KS 66219
Telephone: (913) 551-7003
Toll free: (800) 223-0425

EPA Region 8: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
Environmental Protection Agency
1595 Wynkoop St.
Denver, CO 80202-1129
Telephone: (303) 312-6312
Toll free: (800) 227-8917
Email: r8eisc@epa.gov

EPA Region 9: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada
Environmental Protection Agency
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: (415) 947-8000
Toll free within Region 9: (866) EPA-WEST
Email: r9.info@epa.gov

EPA Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206) 553-1200
Toll free: (800) 424-4372

Getting Legal Help

Generally, contacting the EPA doesn't require the assistance of an attorney. However, if you need help making sure that your business is in compliance with state and federal environmental laws, you may want to contact an experienced environmental law attorney in your area.

If you would like more information and resources related to this topic, you can visit FindLaw's Environmental Laws section.