The Trump administration has proposed eliminating the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, a small federal agency tasked with investigating industrial chemical accidents, drawing opposition from both safety advocates and chemical industry groups.
Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The Chemical Safety Board, which investigated the 2021 nitrogen leak that killed six workers in Georgia, faces elimination in the Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal.
- Despite its small size and lack of regulatory power, the board has been praised by industry leaders for its independent investigations that often lead to safety improvements.
- The administration claims the board duplicates efforts of other agencies, though experts argue it fills a vital gap, especially for smaller companies lacking resources to investigate accidents themselves.
Key quote:
“The risks are borne almost exclusively by workers who are there putting in the work, day in and day out.”
— Rick Engler, former member of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board
Why this matters:
Industrial chemical accidents continue to cause injury, death, and major environmental damage in the U.S. every year. The Chemical Safety Board plays a critical role in identifying the root causes of these disasters, especially in sectors where oversight is thin and budgets are tight. Its work not only improves safety at the facilities it investigates but also informs global industry practices and training. Without it, critical lessons from deadly incidents risk being lost, potentially allowing preventable tragedies to repeat.
Related: Trump administration begins dismantling agency that investigates chemical plant disasters
