Tips for Word and Phrase Searches

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

Your search can include words and phrases separated by a comma.
By default, words and phrases in your query are stemmed.
Example:truck = truck, trucks, trucking, trucked
If you don't want your query stemmed, put your words to be searched in quotes.
Example: "trucking" will retrieve documents with only
the word trucking, and not truck.
Searches are not case sensitive.
For example, you will get the same search results for
National Emission Standards, as for
national emission standards.

Using Search Language
Here are some terms you may use to limit or refine your search and the recommended method of input:

TERM	HOW TO ENTER	FUNCTION
and	and or <AND>	selects documents that contain all of the search terms
or	or or <OR>	selects documents that contain at least one of the search terms
not	not or <NOT>	excludes a specified term from your search
near	<NEAR>	selects documents containing specified terms within close proximity to each other
phrase	<PHRASE>	selects documents containing specified terms within the same phrase
sentence	<SENTENCE>	selects documents containing specified terms within the same sentence
paragraph	<PARAGRAPH>	selects documents containing specified terms within the same paragraph

The search terms: and, or, not can be entered with or without brackets.

Some examples:

To find documents that contain all of the following: National Emission Standards and trucks, enter:

To find documents with the terms National Emission Standards and trucks within close proximity to each other, enter:

To Start Searching go to FR Search page.