Chemical Rule Disaster Decision is Huge Win for Communities, Families

Washington, DC-- Today, a coalition of groups representing workers, scientists and community members near chemical facilities won a case challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) delay of the Chemical Disaster Rule in the D.C. Circuit Court. The rule serves to protect both workers and fence-line communities in strengthening emergency preparedness and coordination with local first responders. It requires more thorough, prevention-focused investigations of accidents and near misses, and forces plants with the worst accident records to assess whether they can implement available safety upgrades. Last year, then-administrator Scott Pruitt announced the rule would be delayed by two years without reason.

In response, Dr. Neil Carman, Clean Air Program Director for the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Chapter released the following statement:

“Today marks a monumental win for communities and public health. EPA’s suspension of the Chemical Disaster Rule put families and communities at grave risk. In my hometown, that meant subjecting hundreds of first responders and frontline communities to dangerous chemical exposures after Hurricane Harvey. We know the importance of this safeguard first-hand and applaud the courts for undoing EPA’s dangerous move to delay its implementation.

“It’s critical that people have the right to know about dangerous toxins where they live, work and where their children go to school.

“This court decision confirms that it is illegal for EPA to delay common-sense protections like these as a hand-out to industry.  We will continue to stress that people’s lives come first despite this administration’s attempts to put communities in danger.”