The Chemical Safety Board is the only federal agency that investigates the causes of chemical incidents, like fires and explosions at petrochemical plants and oil refineries. It makes conditions better for workers, businesses, and communities—including for families and children. Critical, right?
And yet the Chemical Safety Board is currently on the chopping block, poised to be defunded at Donald Trump’s request. Join #MomsSummerofAction and tell Congress to fully fund the Board.
Tell Congress: Save the Chemical Safety Board
The Chemical Safety Board investigates the most horrific incidents—those that cause death, serious injury, or substantial environmental or property damage. Their investigators show up after a refinery explodes or a chemical tank ruptures. They comb through the wreckage, conduct interviews, test chemical samples, review procedures, and issue specific recommendations aimed at preventing future disasters.
This work is essential to our families’ health and safety. Hazardous chemical accidents happen in the U.S. with alarming frequency.
- Last month, it was the accidental release of cancer-causing butadiene and benzene from the Shell ethane cracker facility in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
- Last fall, it was the release of hydrogen sulfide—a flammable gas that can harm the respiratory and nervous systems and even cause death—from the PEMEX refinery in the Deer Park suburb of Houston.
- Also last fall, it was multiple fires at the Bio-Lab Inc. chemical manufacturing facility, which led to the release of a massive plume of toxic smoke in Conyers, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
These facilities are all in places where children and families live, work, and play. And without the Chemical Safety Board, there would be no one to investigate these incidents or the dozens of others like them each year—and offer solutions to make sure they are never repeated.
Join Moms in telling Congress this work must be fully funded.