Hazardous chemicals

November 09, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens) today applauded the House passage of the Chemical and Water Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2868), which would increase the security and safety of the country’s chemical plants and water facilities. Maloney is a co-sponsor of the legislation, which passed the House late Friday afternoon by a vote of 230 to 193.    » read more »

Ensures University Laboratories Are Not Burdened by Regulations Intended for Commercial Facilities

Washington, Nov 6 - Today, Rep. Bill Foster (IL-14) offered an amendment to the Chemical and Water Security Act of 2009 with Rep. Ben Lujan (NM-3) that would require the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to create and report a plan of precaution and prevention to accompany normal campus procedures, instead of subjecting academic laboratory facilities to the same regulations as large commercial facilities. The amendment was accepted into the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act, which passed by a vote of 230-193.    » read more »

Legislation Includes Rep Clarke’s Grant Program to Train Workers and First Responders in Security Methods

November 6, 2009 -- Washington DC- Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2868, the “Chemical and Water Security Act of 2009” with a vote of 230 to193. Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement:

“This week, the House passed H.R. 2868, the ‘Chemical and Water Security Act of 2009.’ I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 2868 because it strengthens existing chemical facility regulations (CFATS). When chemical companies don’t follow their own sector’s ‘best practices,’ they put their frontline workers and my constituents at great risk. That is why I am a strong advocate for provisions in the bill that require:    » read more »

Funds Will Be Used to Improve Hazardous Materials Planning and Training

October 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced that it is awarding $20.9 million to states, territories and Native American tribes to improve the nation’s response to transportation incidents involving hazardous materials. The grants will help train first responders to react to incidents involving hazardous materials and to meet the safety challenges posed by new chemicals and alternative energy products such as ethanol.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Department would invest $15 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to fund 55 projects that will reduce hazardous fuels on thousands of acres of federal land to protect communities at risk from wildland fires, support local economies and rehabilitate ecosystems damaged by wildfire. The funding is part of $3 billion Interior is investing in the nation’s economy under President Obama’s recovery plan.    » read more »

2009 National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week is May 18-24

May 14, 2009 -- Pool chemical injuries account for as many as 5,200 emergency room visits each year. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that these injuries are preventable, and during 2007 almost half of those injuries occurred at a residence.    » read more »

'Kids Safe Chemical Act' Would Ensure All Chemicals Used In Every Day Products, Including Those Used in Baby Bottles and Children's Toys, Are Proven Safe

May 20, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representatives Hilda L. Solis (D- CA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced major legislation to protect Americans, especially children, from toxic chemicals in everyday consumer products.

Baby with bottle: Photo by Frank Tellez (CC)    » read more »

N.J. Senator Returns to Same Location Overlooking Chemical Facility Where He Vowed to Fight Bush Administration's Efforts to Preempt N.J.'s Chemical Security Laws Two years Ago

January 10, 2008 -- JERSEY CITY, N.J. – U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today joined Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson, Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, N.J. AFL-CIO President Charlie Wowkanech, New Jersey Work Environment Council Director Rick Engler and other local leaders to announce the enactment of Sen.    » read more »

19 December 2007 -- An explosion has rocked a chemical plant in Jacksonville, Florida, causing a fire that sent flames, debris and billowing clouds of black smoke into the sky. Three people have been killed and 14 others were taken to local hospitals.

The incident happened Wednesday at the T2 Laboratories plant, where the blast sent what was described as a mushroom cloud of smoke across the city. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue spokesman Tom Francis described the scene as, quoting here, a "hellish inferno."    » read more »

Provision would block Bush Administration from nullifying laws like New Jersey's to protect chemical facilites from chemical attack

December 17, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The just-released, final Omnibus appropriations bill jointly negotiated by the Senate and House includes a provision authored by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to block the Bush Administration from preempting state chemical security laws.    » read more »

November 2, 2007 -- The Department of Homeland Security today released Appendix A of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), a critical element of its chemical security efforts.

The appendix contains a list of chemicals that, if possessed by a facility in a specified quantity, trigger a requirement to complete and submit an easy-to-use, online consequence assessment tool called a Top-Screen.    » read more »

August 16, 2007 -- Michigan companies that do business in Europe are encouraged to learn more about the European Union's new Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) program. This new chemical management system went into effect on June 1, 2007 and has important implications for Michigan companies exporting to European Member States.    » read more »

N.J. Sen. Bill Would Better Protect Communities From Dangerous Chemicals and Liquefied Natural Gas Transported By Ship

August 3, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved legislation authored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to require improved measures on ships and at facilities that handle certain chemicals and petrochemicals that pose known security risks, including liquefied natural gas. While much debate has focused on hazardous materials moving by truck and train, Sen.    » read more »