As a Senator and as a candidate, President Obama championed legislation to eliminate the consequences of a catastrophic terrorist attack or accident at chemical plants across the US. The bills he sponsored, supported and voted for in the U.S. Senate and championed in his campaign for President are exactly what is needed to address these vulnerabilities.
However, the Obama Administration has yet to support the chemical security legislation now pending in Congress.
As we observe the eighth anniversary of 9/11 we cannot think of a better time for President Obama to clarify the administration’s support for this legislation, H.R. 2868 & H.R. 3258 as introduced.
In the coming weeks, the House Energy and Commerce Committee plans to take up these bills. The ultimate test of their success is whether they will require security measures that protect neighboring communities in the event of an attack on a chemical plant.
With time running out, a coalition of environmental, labor, health, and environmental justice groups (including Greenpeace) has sent a letter to President Obama calling on him to show leadership on an issue vitally important to the safety and security of communities across America. To Read the letter for yourself, click here.
