ACC Welcomes Proposed Changes to Bolster Chemical Safety Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 18, 2018 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal today to ensure the continued success of the Agency’s program that regulates safety at chemical facilities, the Risk Management Program (RMP). RMP regulates safety at more than 12,000 facilities nationally and has helped EPA work with industry to reduce the number of accidental releases by 60% in the 20 years that the program has been in place.

The American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs, Mike Walls issued the following statement welcoming the new proposal:

“ACC and its members commend Administrator Pruitt for taking action to make sure that the Risk Management Program continues to deliver solid results when it comes to regulating safety at chemical facilities and continues to protect the safety of workers and communities across the country.

“EPA’s proposal fixes the serious problems created by misguided changes that were hastily adopted during the final days of the Obama Administration. It also reflects the feedback the Agency received regarding those changes from a wide range of stakeholders, including the regulated community, Congress, Attorneys General and local officials.

“We are proud to be part of an industry that puts safety at the core of its operations, and we look forward to sharing the safety expertise of our members as EPA seeks comment on its proposal.”

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