New regulations aim to curb chemical disaster risks amid climate change threats - Environmental Health News
New regulations aim to curb chemical disaster risks amid climate change threats - EHN
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New regulations aim to curb chemical disaster risks amid climate change threats
The Biden administration's latest move mandates nearly 12,000 chemical facilities to bolster defenses against climate-induced disasters.
Hiroko Tabuchi for The New York Times.
In short:
- Facilities must now plan for climate change-related disasters like wildfires and floods to prevent hazardous material releases.
- New requirements include independent audits for sites with past incidents and improved information sharing with local communities and emergency services.
- Despite the advances, some critics argue the measures don't fully address the need for safer chemical and technological alternatives.
Key quote:
"We’re putting in place important safeguards to protect some of our most vulnerable populations."
— Janet McCabe, deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Why this matters:
These regulations help ensure the safety of communities near chemical plants, especially as climate change heightens the risk of disasters.
EHN reporting: As unprecedented weather patterns continue, there is a fear of a ‘domino effect’ of multiple facilities having incidents at the same time, as in January 2023, when a tornado impacted the Houston-area Ineos plant and power outages caused operational issues at a nearby Shell plant, resulting in flaring.
Related Knowledge Center: Air emissions
More than 30 years after the last major update of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has upended the ability of Congress to give the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies broad scope to combat air pollution, including the emission of greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, further Biden administration efforts to limit emissions face opposition in the courts.