The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put the following acts in place to oversee and regulate the impact that businesses have on the environment:

• the Clean Air Act
• the Clean Water Act
• the Safe Drinking Water Act
• the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
• the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
• the Pollution Prevention Act
• the Toxic Substance Control Act.

Each of the above acts has specific regulations and requirements that businesses must follow, and a review of each is important for all small business owners. However, the EPA's regulations are often difficult to understand if not broken down into simpler terms and practical applications.

For that reason, many small business advocacy groups have lobbied to create laws and restrictions to protect small businesses while continuing to regulate their impact on the environment.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) were both enacted to provide small businesses with the flexibility and clarification necessary to comply with government standards. As a small business, it is helpful to understand these acts and the rights that they provide.