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Missouri Environmental Law Research Guide

This guide is created to facilitate research for WashULaw's Interdisciplinary Environmental Law Clinic Course.

Key Missouri Environmental Regulations

Missouri has a comprehensive set of environmental regulations that are designed to protect the state's air, water, land, and wildlife. These regulations are administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

 

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources works with businesses; local, state and federal governments and the public to protect human health and the environment. One of the main ways this is accomplished is through implementing and enforcing regulations. 

All Missouri regulations promulgated by all Missouri state agencies appear in the Missouri Code of State Regulations (CSR), which is updated monthly. Both the current CSR edition and archived CSR editions are available free of charge online.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources regularly proposes new rules and amendments to rules (i.e., "regulations”) based on direction from its Commissions and mandates from the legislature. In most cases, department rulemakings involve changing existing rules, rather than proposing entirely new rules or rescinding rules. Many of these changes address relatively minor issues, such as a removing outdated information or updating referenced documents. The department's Regulatory Action Tracking System contains summaries and other information related to the department's proposed rules in development.

In all rulemakings, regardless of significance, the department provides information on the need for the rule, the benefits and costs of the rulemaking and the alternatives considered. A Regulatory Impact Report (RIR) is required at the beginning of the rulemaking process for rules recommending environmental standards or conditions. It documents the environmental and economic costs and benefits associated with the proposed rule. The department invites the public to review and submit comments on RIR's to help ensure that our regulations provide required protections but do not add unneeded costs. The department submits proposed rules to the Secretary of State, which are then published in the Missouri Register along with a notice of public hearing, if applicable, and notice to submit comments. The rules will not go into effect until the public has had an opportunity to review and submit written comments on the proposed rule and to attend a public hearing, if one is scheduled. For more information about the rulemaking process, contact the department at 573-751-3443. For more information on specific rules, direct contact names and phone numbers are provided in the Rulemaking Report for each individual proposed rule listed in the department's Regulatory Action Tracking System.

Source: https://dnr.mo.gov/laws-rules-regulations 

  1. Missouri Clean Water Commission Regulations 
  2. Missouri Air Conservation Commission Regulations 
  3. Missouri Hazardous Waste Management Commission Regulations 
  4. Missouri Solid Waste Management Commission Regulations
  5. Missouri Pesticide Control Program Regulations 
  6. Missouri Underground Storage Tank Regulations 

There may be additional  regulations relevant to specific environmental aspects. 

Administrative decisions

It's important to visit the official Missouri Office of Administrative Hearings website (MOAH) to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.

You can also access this information regulations administrative regulations & decisions on Westlaw Precision:

         

and on Lexis+