EPA Finalizes Critical Chemical Disaster Prevention Rules

The new rule restores critical disaster planning and prevention protections under the program after it was gutted in 2019 under the Trump administration.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “The RMP was first established in 1996 and in the nearly 30 years since, the program has been subject to political tug-of-war. After the Biden-Harris administration took office, the EPA held a series of listening sessions, and in 2022, proposed the “Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention” rule. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) joined hundreds of organizations and individuals in commenting on the proposed rules and testifying at EPA’s public hearings. While the proposal restored many of the rollbacks under the Trump administration, it still left some to be desired in terms of preventing chemical disasters.“

While it doesn’t go as far as w TRAA would wish, it is a large improvement. For instance, according to the UCS

One of the most notable actions under this rule is that EPA finally created a public database with information about RMP facilities. For years, information about facilities was only accessible through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, which can be tedious and take a long time to fulfill, or by visiting EPA reading rooms in person. For years, the agency claimed that information about facilities could not be made public due to national security concerns. This was a major disservice to communities around these facilities, as well as to first responders, after an incident occurred. While EPA could have made these data available at any time, we are grateful that the agency is doing so now.

The online tool allows users to search by facility and company name, ID and NAICS code, location, and the chemicals and processes used there. Users can also access the facility’s most recent risk management plan online.