Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule rolling back key portions of the Risk Management Plan updates, also known as the Chemical Disaster Rule:
“The Trump Administration decided today that currying favor with the chemical industry is more important than protecting first responders, workers and communities from chemical facility releases, fires and explosions. The Chemical Disaster Rule was put in place by President Obama to strengthen the accountability and prevention of chemical incidents from our industrial facilities. With 73 known incidents in the past two years alone, it is unconscionable that this Administration would erase so many critical protection and prevention measures. Americans deserve better. They deserve to have their government put safety - not special interests - first.
“The Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to listen to the voices of frontline communities, first responders and workers as we look toward developing a legislative solution to address this disastrous rollback."
