Trump’s EPA moves to roll back chemical safety rules
The Trump administration is pulling back on Biden-era rules that required chemical facilities to adopt stronger safety measures against disasters.
Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The Biden-era rules, which took effect last year, required chemical plants to adopt safeguards against climate-related risks, share more information with emergency responders, and switch to safer alternatives where possible.
- The Trump administration’s EPA has filed a motion to rewrite these rules, siding with industry groups that argue the regulations impose unnecessary costs with little safety benefit.
- The rollback would affect nearly 12,000 facilities handling hazardous chemicals, with environmental advocates warning that weaker oversight could lead to deadly accidents.
Key quote:
“Chemical explosions force entire neighborhoods to evacuate. First responders have died rushing into disasters they weren’t warned about. Workers have suffered burns, lung damage, and worse, all because companies cut corners to save money.”
— Adam Kron, attorney at Earthjustice
Why this matters:
Millions of Americans live near hazardous chemical sites, and past disasters have shown how devastating explosions and leaks can be. Industry groups argue these safety measures are expensive and do little to prevent accidents, but with climate-fueled storms and wildfires threatening industrial sites more than ever, the timing couldn’t be worse.
Read more:
