Chemical Threats

Since the 9/11 attacks, one of our greatest terrorist vulnerabilities still remains.  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified 7,000 chemical facilities as "high-risk."  The U.S. Army Surgeon General estimated that an attack on just one U.S. chemical plant could kill or injure 900,000 to 2.4 million people.  The EPA has identified 100 chemical plants that each put one million or more people at risk up to 25 miles downwind from a plant.   Despite numerous warnings since 2001, little has been done to neutralize these hazards beyond conventional fence-line security.

The good news is that there are many cost-effective and safer chemicals or processes already in use that eliminate these risks without sacrificing jobs.  Since 9/11, more than 220 plants have switched to safer alternatives.  However, at that rate, it will take more than 100 years to neutralize the hazards at 7,000 plants.  In March, the House Homeland Security Committee adopted a bill (H.R. 5577) that goes a long way toward addressing these hazards.  But the bill was bogged down by in-fighting with another Committee and a multi-million-dollar lobbying campaign led by the chemical industry.

Although Congress passed a chemical security bill in 2006, the 740-word law is fatally flawed.  It actually bars the government from requiring safer chemicals or processes, and exempts thousands of plants—including 2,800 water treatment plants. Not surprisingly, this law has the support of Dow Chemical and other industry giants. Fortunately, the 2006 law is temporary.  Congress now has until October 4, 2009 to enact a permanent chemical security law.

More guards and fences will not protect communities at risk.  And as we've seen, making the use of safer chemicals voluntary will not work either.  Given the magnitude of these risks and the widespread availability of safer chemicals and processes, it would be irresponsible of Congress to fail to make safety a requirement.  The most ironclad way to ensure the safety of people living in the shadow of dangerous chemical plants is to require the plants to convert to the safest available technologies.  Once safer technologies are adopted, the plant will no longer pose a catastrophic risk even if it is successfully attacked or has an accidental release.

On October 10, 2008 a coalition of more than 30 chemical worker unions, public health groups, environmental groups (including Greenpeace), and government reform groups sent a letter to Congress urging them to pass a bill similar to H.R. 5577 before the temporary law expires next October.  The chemical industry will be working overtime to block this bill and force Congress to make the temporary law permanent or riddle the new one with loopholes.  But terrorists can read the loopholes too.  This is not a game and safety should not be optional.

• Read the Updated, April 2009 chemical security coalition letter to the Senate.

• Read the Updated, April 2009 chemical security coalition letter to the House of Representatives.

In the Senate and as a candidate for President, Senator Obama was a champion of the legislation that is needed.  As President, he and the new Congress will have only nine months to fulfill that promise by enacting legislation that truly protects the millions of Americans still at risk.  You can help today by sending a message to your Senator and Congressperson below.

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