California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined 16 other states in a lawsuit Thursday to defend federal regulation requirements for chemical accidents after the safety guidelines were challenged by Republican-led states.
The petition supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chemical Accident Safety Rule, which was adopted in 2024 and requires facilities, such as refineries and chemical manufacturing plants, to implement prevention plans and employee safety training and increase public transparency.
According to Bonta, the EPA rule protects communities that are exposed to chemical accidents due to the facilities’ close proximity.
“Chemical disasters pose serious risks, including long-term health effects and devastating economic consequences,” Bonta said. “Without stringent safety protocols, proper emergency response planning, and corporate accountability, communities will remain vulnerable to preventable catastrophes.”
The rule was challenged in a May petition by a group of 14 states, led by Oklahoma.
Separate challenges have also been filed by industry groups including the National Association of Chemical Distributors and the American Chemistry Council.
According to Gentner Drummond, Oklahoma’s state attorney general, the rule increases costs and regulatory burdens on facilities without improving safety.
“The amendments to the Risk Management Program are unwarranted and they contain significant security concerns,” Drummond said. “Industries in Oklahoma and the consumers they serve should not be punished because of yet another misguided and overly burdensome edict from the EPA.”
The Trump administration announced its intent to reconsider the Biden-era chemical safety regulations in early March, supporting its pledge for broad deregulatory action early on.
Some environmental advocates argue that making changes could result in more chemical disasters.
Since 2001, there have been at least five chemical accidents in California large enough to require investigations by the United States Chemical Safety Board, none of which have occurred in San Diego County.
Small accidents, however, are more prevalent, according to Bonta.
Last May, San Diego County’s environmental health officials got involved after a fire at an Otay Mesa lithium-ion battery storage facility took 17 days and 8 million gallons of water to be completely controlled.
Chemical plants and refineries are disproportionately located in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the state, Bonta said in a statement.
California has its own risk management and prevention program called the California Accidental Release Prevention Program, or CalARP, with similar requirements as the federal regulations.
Facilities that are covered by both the federal and state programs must comply with the requirements of each.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( State AG joins lawsuit protecting EPA chemical safety rule )
Also on site :
- Sam Heughan Fans Are 'Melting' After Seeing His 'Smoking Hot' New Photos
- ‘70s Actress From Award-Winning TV Show Is Nearly Unrecognizable on Rare Outing
- Beloved Singer, 37, Makes Final Public Appearance Before Serious Cancer Treatments