The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has shut down a public tool that mapped dangerous chemical facilities across the U.S., following lobbying from the chemical industry and a push from the Trump administration.
Katya Schwenk reports for The Lever.
In short:
- The EPA quietly took down a website that allowed public access to data on nearly 12,000 high-risk chemical facilities, including their safety records and the hazardous substances they handle.
- The decision came after the American Chemistry Council and other industry groups asked the agency to remove the tool, citing security concerns and lobbying for rollbacks of Biden-era regulations.
- Communities near these plants — often low-income and under-resourced — now face new hurdles in accessing critical information about chemical hazards in their neighborhoods.
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 plants pose serious risks to nearby communities, especially those that are already vulnerable due to poverty or environmental neglect. Many of these facilities handle toxic substances capable of triggering fires, explosions, and chemical leaks — incidents that can force evacuations and leave lasting health effects. Public access to facility locations and safety records has historically been limited, creating challenges for emergency responders, researchers, and residents alike. When the Biden administration briefly expanded access to this data, it marked a step toward transparency and public safety. But taking that information offline now leaves people in the dark about the threats next door.
Related:
Environmental groups sue Trump administration over shutdown of climate and pollution data tools
