Take on Toxics

On May 30, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule entitled “Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act,” 83 Fed. Reg. 24,850 (May 30, 2018) (the “Rollback Rule”). The Rollback Rule would rescind or weaken almost all of the chemical disaster prevention and mitigation measures previously adopted by the agency in its January 2017 final rule, “Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act,” 82 Fed. Reg. 4594 (Jan. 13, 2017) (the “Chemical Disaster Rule”). Comments on the Rollback Rule were originally due July 30, 2018, but EPA extended this deadline to August 23, 2018, pursuant to a Notice of Data Availability. See “Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act; Notification of Data Availability and Extension of Comment Period,” 83 Fed. Reg. 34,967 (July 24, 2018). The undersigned groups submit the following comments to oppose EPA’s proposed Rollback Rule. For reasons discussed herein and provided in the D.C. Circuit’s decision vacating EPA’s 2017 Delay Rule, EPA should withdraw, and not finalize, the proposed Rollback Rule. See Air Alliance Houston et al. v. EPA, No. 17-1155, Slip Op. (D.C. Cir. Aug. 17, 2018).

Comment letter to Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler & Office of the Science Advisor of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in opposition of the Proposed Rule, “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science,” 83 Fed. Reg. 18,768 because of its clear intent and impact to weaken, or prevent the necessary strengthening of, vital public health safeguards.