The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee will hold a hearing on chemical facility security following several recent explosions at chemical plants, the committee’s chairman announced this month.
Speaking to reporters on June 19, EPW Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said the June 27 hearing would examine the state of chemical facility safety in light of the April fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas and two separate incidents at facilities in Louisiana earlier this month. Another accident in May involving the crash and derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals outside of Baltimore is also likely to draw attention.
Senator Boxer told reporters that her committee may look into new legislation in response to the string of incidents, but she is unlikely to elaborate on her plans until the hearing. The late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced a water facility security bill in January with “inherently safer technology” (IST) provisions (S. 67), but Boxer has provided no signs that she plans to advance that bill. In any event, the measure – which would require certain water systems to consider eliminating their use of gaseous chlorine and allow state regulators to force a change in chemicals in some cases – almost certainly lacks the support to pass the full Senate or the House of Representatives.
While the June 3 death of Sen. Lautenberg deprives the Senate of one of its leading advocates for requiring “IST” at chemical and water plants, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) could assume that role if Massachusetts voters send him to the Senate in the state’s June 25 special election. Markey has been a strong proponent of “IST” in the House, and is favored to win the race to fill the Senate seat that was vacated when John Kerry became Secretary of State.