The chemical industry has asked Trump’s new Environmental Protection Agency chief, Lee Zeldin, to roll back public access to information on high-risk chemical facilities, arguing that transparency poses security risks.
Katya Schwenk reports for The Lever.
In short:
- More than a dozen chemical industry groups urged the EPA to shut down a public database that lists high-risk chemical facilities and their safety records.
- These facilities have a history of accidents, including a 2023 Louisiana fire that forced residents to shelter in place due to toxic gas exposure.
- Industry lobbyists see an ally in Zeldin, who has opposed tighter regulations on hazardous chemicals during his time in Congress.
Key quote:
“This is information that the public deserves to know — what the facilities are that are near them, what types of chemicals they deal with.”
— Adam Kron, senior attorney at Earthjustice
Why this matters:
Chemical accidents, often involving industrial facilities or storage sites, can unleash toxins into the air, water and soil, sometimes with devastating consequences for nearby communities. Incidents like chemical plant explosions, pipeline leaks or toxic gas releases frequently lead to emergency evacuations or orders for residents to shelter indoors, often with little notice. These events pose acute risks to human health, particularly respiratory and neurological harm, while also threatening ecosystems that can take years to recover. Despite these dangers, some industry groups have pushed back against regulations that mandate transparency and public disclosure of risks associated with hazardous sites.
