Tennessee can now manage its own hazardous waste program, without federal oversight

The US environmental regulators have given Tennessee final approval to run its own hazardous waste program. This means the state will now enforce federal rules for managing dangerous waste, rather than the federal government doing it directly.

For decades, states have been taking over parts of federal environmental regulation. This move means Tennessee's environmental agency now has full control over how hazardous waste is handled within its borders. Companies operating in Tennessee will deal directly with state regulators, not federal ones.