Chemical Safety Board faces budget elimination amid recent accidents
In a recent interview with NPR, former U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) member Rick Engler discussed the current state of chemical safety following a series of incidents. A chemical tank implosion at a Washington state paper mill killed 11 people last week. Days earlier, 50,000 people were evacuated in Southern California when a toxic chemical tank threatened to explode. Last month, two people died from inhaling fumes at a West Virginia silver recovery plant. The Trump administration has asked Congress to eliminate the CSB’s budget, arguing it duplicates other agencies. Engler disagreed, stating the CSB plays a unique role under the Clean Air Act, comparable to the National Transportation Safety Board. He noted the administration is also cutting funding for OSHA and the EPA. Engler estimated over 177 million Americans live near hazardous chemical facilities.
What’s reported
A chemical tank imploded at a Washington state paper mill last week, killing 11 people.
In Southern California, authorities ordered 50,000 people to evacuate after a tank of highly toxic chemicals was in danger of exploding.
Two people died last month after inhaling fumes from a chemical tank at a silver recovery plant in West Virginia.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is investigating the Washington and West Virginia incidents.
The Trump administration has asked Congress to eliminate the CSB’s budget, stating it “duplicates more than adequate capabilities of other agencies.”
Former CSB member Rick Engler said the CSB is the only agency charged by Congress under the Clean Air Act to investigate underlying causes of major chemical incidents.
Engler stated that over 177 million Americans live in worst-case-scenario zones near facilities using hazardous chemicals.
Key figures
Rick Engler: former member of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, currently a consultant to the New Jersey Work Environment Council.
Ayesha Rascoe: NPR host.
Sources: NPR
