An explosion at a Dow chemical facility in Louisiana remains under investigation, but the Trump administration has moved to eliminate the independent federal agency responsible for such probes.
Tristan Baurick reports for Grist and Verite News
In short:
- The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), tasked with investigating major petrochemical accidents, is set to shut down under President Trump’s proposed 2026 budget, which eliminates its funding.
- The CSB’s closure would halt ongoing investigations, including a probe into a 2023 explosion at Dow’s massive Louisiana complex that released 30,000 pounds of cancer-causing ethylene oxide.
- Critics warn that shuttering the CSB will increase risks to workers and nearby communities, especially in industrial hubs like Louisiana and Texas, which lead the nation in CSB investigations.
Key quote:
“Closing the CSB will mean more accidents at chemical plants, more explosions and more deaths.”
— Beth Rosenberg, public health expert and former CSB board member
Why this matters:
The U.S. chemical industry sees an accident roughly every other day, yet the nation is poised to lose its only federal agency dedicated solely to investigating the causes of those incidents. The Chemical Safety Board plays a unique role: It doesn’t issue fines, but it offers in-depth analyses and recommendations to prevent future disasters. These investigations are often the only way communities learn what went wrong after a fire or explosion, particularly in vulnerable areas like Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.” Without the CSB, oversight will shift to agencies like OSHA and the EPA, which critics say lack the mandate and flexibility to investigate systemic causes. This move strips frontline communities of a critical scientific and regulatory tool just as industrial expansion and deregulation increase risks to air quality, health, and worker safety.
Related: White House proposal would shut down the nation’s top chemical safety agency
