EPA Updates Risk Management Program to Protect Against Chemicals - The National Law Review
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 19, 2022, that it will propose revisions to the Risk Management Program (RMP) rule to protect further vulnerable communities from chemical accidents, especially those living near facilities with high accident rates. According to EPA, the “Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention” (SCCAP) rule “would strengthen the existing program and includes new safeguards that have not been addressed in prior RMP rules, such as enhanced employee participation and transparency for communities on safety decisions.” EPA has posted a prepublication version of the proposed rule. Publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register will begin a 60-day comment period. EPA will hold three virtual public hearings on September 26, 27, and 28, 2022. Registration for the hearings will be available upon publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register.
Background
Under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, owners or operators of facilities that produce, handle, process, or store any toxic and flammable substance listed in 40 C.F.R. Section 68.130 in an amount above the threshold quantity (TQ) specified for that substance are required to develop and implement a risk management plan. The goal of the RMP is to prevent accidental releases of substances that can cause serious harm to the public and the environment from short-term exposures and to mitigate the severity of releases that do occur....
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