On April 18, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan upheld a new Washington, DC, law prohibiting hazardous cargo rail shipments near the U.S. Capitol. Sullivan said that the District has a right to protect itself from an accident involving hazardous chemicals, because the federal government has failed to do so. CSX, the rail company challenging the District's new law, immediately appealed the ban on April 19th and won a ruling blocking the ban, which was scheduled to take effect April 20. The federal appeals court stated that it needs more time to review the legal issues surrounding the ban.

A recent accident at a Texas oil refinery reminds us of the need for Congress to pass chemical security legislation that identifies hazardous chemical-using facilities and requires company plans both for reducing chemical hazards and improving site security through safer materials or processes wherever feasible.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is invoking its little-known secrecy powers to hide a variety of information from the public, labeling the information as Sensitive Security Information (SSI). The agency's excessive and unreasonable use of the power is troubling, with recent examples defying common sense, and revealing that TSA withholds information from those who use it for safety reasons or even for their jobs.

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.