Hawaii's underground fuel tank rules are now officially federal law

The US environmental regulators have formally approved Hawaii's updated rules for underground fuel storage tanks. This means Hawaii's state laws on these tanks now carry the same weight as federal regulations.

For years, states have had to prove their environmental rules are at least as strict as federal ones to get formal approval. This document shows Hawaii's rules for underground fuel tanks meet that bar. It means that anyone operating these tanks in Hawaii must now comply with state rules that are backed by federal enforcement power.