Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside a multistate coalition, has filed a motion to defend the chemical accident safety rule established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2024. The regulation mandates facilities like refineries and chemical manufacturing plants to adopt measures to prevent chemical accidents. It includes developing prevention plans, ensuring employee safety, increasing transparency with the community, and preparing for extreme weather-related risks. This rule is especially critical for communities close to these facilities, which are often at higher risk of exposure to chemical accidents.

Currently, the rule faces challenges from a coalition of 14 states spearheaded by Oklahoma, as well as opposition from industry groups, including the National Association of Chemical Distributors and the American Chemistry Council. Recently, the Trump Administration expressed its intention to reconsider this rule as part of its efforts to modify environmental and public health protections.

Attorney General Bonta emphasized the significance of the rule by stating, “Chemical disasters pose serious risks, including long-term health effects and devastating economic consequences. Without stringent safety protocols, proper emergency response planning, and corporate accountability, communities will remain vulnerable to preventable catastrophes. That’s why I, alongside attorneys general nationwide, am filing this motion. Any attempt to rollback this rule would not only curtail the environmental and economic benefits but could also have irreversible impacts on lives that are preventable.”

Chemical accidents, including explosions and hazardous chemical releases, are a known risk in large, complex facilities dealing with high-risk materials. Since 2001, California has experienced at least five significant chemical accidents investigated by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, with smaller incidents being more common. Such facilities, often situated in disadvantaged areas, pose increased risks to these communities.

In response to past hazardous incidents, California implemented the California Accidental Release Prevention (CalARP) Program in 1986, aimed at managing and preventing chemical accidents. CalARP requires facilities to create programs detailing risk identification and mitigation strategies. Facilities must adhere to safety measures to minimize the potential consequences of chemical incidents, aligning with both federal and state guidelines where applicable.

Along with Attorney General Bonta, attorneys general from Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, and Harris County, Texas, have joined the motion.

A copy of the motion is available for public access.