Path to Chemical Security Is Clear, But Overlooked

Approximately 284 facilities in 47 states have reduced risks to nearby communities from hazardous chemicals by switching to safer chemical processes or moving to safer locations, according to an Apr. 24 report by the Center for American Progress (CAP). Preventing Toxic Terrorism highlights the need for a national program to encourage thousands of other chemical facilities to become safer neighbors through the use of alternative, inherently safer chemicals and technologies.

CAP surveyed 1,800 facilities that had 'deregistered' from the federal Clean Air Act program, which requires roughly 14,000 facilities with large quantities of hazardous chemicals to report on measures they take to manage and respond to the potential chemical risks. A facility can deregister (cease sending the reports) by eliminating the use of regulated substances or reducing the quantities of the chemicals below reporting thresholds.

Many of these chemical plants place thousands of people in harms way from a possible release of dangerous chemicals. The report estimates that 450 facilities have the potential to harm more than 100,000 people each. For some time, government experts, research institutes, trade associations, labor unions, and public interest groups have warned that chemical facilities, while vulnerable to accidents, are also highly vulnerable to potential terrorist attacks, but the government has been slow to act to address this threat.

"Unfortunately, more than four years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the White House and Congress have failed to act. Currently, no federal law or regulation requires hazardous chemical facilities to review or use readily available alternatives," according to a press release accompanying the report. Implementing safer alternatives, considered by many to be the best first step in securing these chemical facilities, eliminates the possibility of a catastrophic chemical release from either an accident or terrorist attack.

Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) have introduced the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2005 (S. 2145), aimed at protecting our chemical facilities and surrounding neighborhoods from terrorism. The bill would require chemical plants and other facilities storing large quantities of hazardous chemicals to develop vulnerability assessments, site security plans, and emergency response plans, Unfortunately, however, the bill falls short of requiring any reporting on the use of safer technologies. The bill currently has five cosponsors.

Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) have also introduced the Chemical Security and Safety Act of 2006 (S. 2486) that would require chemical facilities to thoroughly review and use safer technologies where practicable. This bill also has five cosponsors.

Preventing Toxic Terrorism demonstrates that many chemical facilities can reduce the hazard they pose and thereby protecting millions of Americans. The report estimates that at least 30 million people no longer live under the threat of a major toxic cloud, as a result of companies switching to safer chemicals or relocating activities to less-populated areas. A concerted national effort to convert other high-risk facilities to safer chemicals and processes could protect millions more.

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