Alaska takes over hazardous waste permitting — the first state to do so in 25 years

Alaska has taken control of hazardous waste permitting from the federal government. As of Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation issues the permits, runs inspections and enforces compliance for hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities across the state — everywhere except tribal lands and Denali National Park. It's an administrative handoff, not a change in the rules themselves, which were already in effect under Alaska law.

Alaska is the 49th state to run the federal hazardous waste program, and the first to be granted that authority in more than 25 years. The EPA doesn't leave entirely: it keeps jurisdiction over Indian country and areas of exclusive federal jurisdiction, where it will continue to inspect, permit and enforce. Alaska has not asserted hazardous waste authority over tribal lands.

The transfer drew objections on two fronts. The Chugach Regional Resources Commission asked the EPA to slow down, submitting recommendations that included a tribal co-stewardship working group, plain-language guidance for rural handlers, and an evaluation of the cumulative risks to subsistence resources, food security and cultural continuity before the handoff. The commission also warned that state budget constraints could weaken outreach and enforcement. The EPA said those concerns fell "outside the scope" of its decision to authorize the program.

Industry and an individual commenter clashed over a narrower point: how Alaska classifies electronic waste. The state treats e-waste as a "universal waste" stream, an approach the Alaska Oil & Gas Association questioned, noting only five states do it that way. A separate commenter argued the opposite — that e-waste should be classified as fully hazardous because of its health effects. The EPA declined to delay on either concern.