It is appropriate that local government comes at the tail end of today's program. When we advise our clients about the long list of hazardous waste regulation, the final topic is local programs. This order of things, however, is changing. Local governments are now in the hazardous waste regulation business. If a company ignores this development when operating in more than one jurisdiction, it does so at its own peril.

There are some innovative, far reaching programs at the local level around the country. I would like to discuss what local governments are doing and where they might surpass federal or state expertise. I will focus specifically on two programs at either end of the country, one in San Francisco and a proposed one in Dade County, Florida. Finally, I will discuss what sort of impacts this trend will have as local government momentum builds.