Petroplex News

Congressman August Pfluger of Texas has led a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan expressing concerns about the potential negative impact of the EPA's Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention (SCCAP) rule on domestic manufacturing and national security. The rule, which is currently under review in the White House Office of Management and Budget, could jeopardize American innovation and hinder critical industries involved in matters of national security importance.

In the letter, Congressman Pfluger stated, "Texans are already up against the odds producing and manufacturing critical products in a time of unmanageable economic turmoil. The EPA's new rule will cripple natural gas extraction, power generation, chemical manufacturing, refineries, bulk stations, terminals, and other facilities involved in matters of national security importance. They must walk this rule back."

The letter was co-signed by several representatives, including Michael C. Burgess, Rick W. Allen, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Dan Crenshaw, Greg Pence, Randy Weber, Troy Balderson, Morgan Griffith, Richard Hudson, Ross Fulcher, Mike Carey, and Larry Buschon.

The letter highlights the impressive track record of critical industries in incident prevention and process safety, with RMP reportable incidents decreasing by over 80 percent since the program began in 1996. It emphasizes that existing regulations and voluntary industry efforts have been effective in managing risk.

The EPA's proposed revisions to the SCCAP rule have raised concerns regarding the significant increase in annual costs, which are now estimated to exceed $257 million. The letter calls for stakeholder input on the changes that have resulted in a significantly higher cost and urges the EPA to produce a more technologically feasible and cost-effective policy.

The letter also expresses concerns about the potential national security vulnerabilities that could be created by the proposed changes. The rule mandates facilities to share sensitive security information with anyone who works, lives, or travels within a six-mile radius of that facility. This requirement could expose security vulnerabilities and sensitive information to malicious actors, undermining incident response and posing a risk to national security.

Furthermore, the letter emphasizes the importance of performance-based regulations that support innovation, reduce risks, improve efficiencies, and ensure safe operations. It argues that unnecessary and costly requirements will only increase regulatory program redundancy and waste. The letter states that RMP-regulated facilities are already subject to vigorous regulations and reporting requirements from multiple government agencies.

The proposed SCCAP rule also raises concerns about its potential negative impact on US companies' ability to innovate and remain competitive. For example, the regulation singles out the refining industry's use of hydrofluoric acid (HF), which is critical for producing lower emissions fuels. The letter argues that implementing the proposed regulations could financially burden facilities that use HF and hinder environmental goals without achieving the intended purpose of the rule.

In conclusion, the letter urges the EPA to repropose the SCCAP rule and address the concerns raised before finalizing any further changes to the Risk Management Program (RMP) regulation. It emphasizes the importance of supporting domestic manufacturing, national security, and American innovation while ensuring the safety and well-being of communities.

The full letter can be accessed [here](link).

To learn more, click on this link: https://pfluger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=964