The Biden-appointed leadership of the Chemical Safety Board says its work is more important than ever, but the White House wants it gone by 2026.
Maxine Joselow reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The Chemical Safety Board (CSB), which investigates deadly chemical accidents and recommends safety improvements, is facing elimination under a Trump budget proposal aiming to reduce federal agencies.
- Although Congress has historically rejected similar proposals, this time the CSB itself requested zero funding — language experts say likely came from the White House, not the agency’s own leadership.
- Critics warn the move could mean more deadly chemical incidents in communities near refineries and chemical plants, like a 2021 Louisiana accident that killed a worker after hydrogen fluoride exposure.
Key quote:
“If Trump gets his way, this will mean more chemical disasters choking our communities with toxic fumes, upending lives, and threatening the health and property of those living and working close by.”
— Sen. Jeff Merkley, chair of Senate subcommittee on chemical safety
Why this matters:
The Chemical Safety Board doesn’t regulate or fine anyone. It doesn’t write laws. It doesn’t even do inspections. What it does do is show up after a refinery explodes or a chemical tank ruptures, comb through the wreckage, and figure out how to prevent the next disaster. Communities living in the shadow of refineries, fertilizer plants, and plastics factories know the risks all too well. Eliminating the CSB won’t make those places safer. It just means fewer answers — and fewer chances to prevent the next chemical catastrophe.
