Chemical Security
Texas City Refinery Explosion Verifies Need for Safer Chemicals
Mar 24, 2005 by Sean Moulton
Statement by Working Group on Community Right to Know, OMB Watch Project
Hazardous chemicals at BP Amoco’s Texas City refinery exploded early Wednesday afternoon, March 23, killing 14 and injuring over 100. The massive explosion also destroyed buildings and vehicles, and shook residents’ homes up to five miles away.
Justice Department Opposes D.C. Anti-Terrorist Measures
Mar 7, 2005 by Guest Blogger
On Feb. 25, the U.S. Department of Justice joined the rail company CSX in litigation to derail a new Washington, DC, law which bans hazardous cargo shipments through the district. In a brief filed with the Federal District Court, DOJ asserts that hazardous chemical shipments are part of interstate commerce and therefore may only be regulated by federal law.
read in fullIndustry Challenges D.C. Ban on Hazmat Rerouting
Feb 22, 2005 by Guest Blogger
The rail company banned from shipping hazardous cargo through the nation’s capital has filed a suit to overturn the emergency legislation that was enacted earlier this month. The local law bans rail shipments of hazardous cargo from a 2.2-mile radius around the U.S.
read in fullD.C. Council Passes Bill to Reroute Hazardous Materials
Feb 7, 2005 by Guest Blogger
Last week, the City Council of Washington, DC, voted 10–1, with one abstention, to enact emergency legislation requiring rail companies to reroute hazardous cargo around the city. This legislation, “Terrorism Prevention in Hazardous Materials Transportation Emergency Act of 2005,” will make Washington the first city in the nation requiring companies to route hazardous cargo shipments away from population centers. The bill now only needs D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams’ signature.
read in fullSenate Declines to Act on Corzine's Chemical Security Amendment
Oct 4, 2004 by Guest Blogger
In an effort to break the congressional logjam on chemical security, Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) has offered a piece of compromise legislation as an amendment to the intelligence reform bill. Unfortunately, the amendment was ruled non-germane to the bill and rejected from consideration.
read in fullStudy Finds Nuclear Facilities Vulnerable to Attack
Sep 20, 2004 by Guest Blogger
Access to information on nuclear security has been hard to come by, but some information has been surfacing that raises concerns about the security of America's nuclear power plants. Since 9/11, nuclear reactors and chemical plants have received considerable attention with critics calling for stronger government requirements and oversight to better ensure the safety of neighboring communities.
read in fullChemical Security Update: Homeland Security Amendment
Sep 15, 2004 by Guest Blogger
The Senate passed the Department of Homeland Security FY2005 appropriations bill (H.R. 4567) this week, although a chemical security amendment, introduced by Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ), was tabled.
read in fullNew Report Explores Chemical Dangers from Power Plants
Jul 23, 2004 by Sean Moulton
A new report by the Working Group on Community Right-to-Know estimates that 3.5 million Americans living near some 225 non-nuclear power plants are at risk from leaks or releases of gaseous ammonia or chlorine. It calls for these plants to switch to safer alternatives to ensure the safety of surrounding communities.
read in fullGovernment Web Secrecy Doesn't Provide Security
Apr 5, 2004 by Sean Moulton
A recent report by the RAND Corporation reveals that information scrubbed from government websites after the Sept. 11 attacks were unnecessary and unproductive in protecting against terrorism. Many government agencies have removed extensive amounts of information from their websites on the remote chance it could be misused by terrorists. The RAND report establishes that the agencies' approach of viewing information only as a threat and not considering the benefits is erroneous.
read in fullNuclear Insecurity Under DOE
Feb 7, 2004 by Guest Blogger
A new Department of Energy (DOE) regulation could threaten safety standards at nuclear weapons facilities nationwide. At the same time, findings by DOE’s watchdog office reveal that nuclear facilities cheated during mock attacks.
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