Baltimore Takes Leadership Role on Chemicals

Media Releases

September 22, 2015

Media Contacts

Carli Jensen

City Urges Feds to Finalize Chemical Facility Rule

U.S. PIRG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 21, 2015

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Carli Jensen, Maryland PIRG

Timothy Goldsby, Office of Councilmember Bill Henry

Baltimore Takes Leadership Role on Chemicals

City Urges Feds to Finalize Chemical Facility Rule

Today, the Baltimore City Council passed a resolution calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy to work quickly to issue a strong rule to make chemical plants safer. Resolution #15-0261R, introduced by Baltimore City Councilmember Bill Henry (District 4) passed unanimously.

“The leaders of Baltimore take the problem of dangerous chemical facilities very seriously, and we are calling on the EPA to help us make our community safer,” said Councilman Henry.

There are 31 major chemical facilities in Baltimore, with 8,612,667 pounds of toxic chemicals used in their processes.[1]

“Members of the Baltimore City Council live and work in communities in the shadows of chemical plants,” said Maryland PIRG Toxics Campaign Director Carli Jensen, “They are leading on this issue that affects Baltimoreans—and people in communities across the country—and I hope the EPA will follow suit.”

Nationwide, there have been over 420 chemical disasters—including explosions, fires, and toxic chemical leaks—since April 2013, causing more than 82 deaths and sending over 1,600 victims to the hospital.[2]

The resolution recognized that “[i]t is vital to the safety and security of millions of Americans that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) move quickly to finalize a strong rule requiring chemical plants and refineries to use the safest cost-effective chemicals and technology available. The EPA has an historic opportunity to protect the 100 million people across the U.S. who live, work, study, and play in the shadow of dangerous chemical facilities.”

For more information contact:

Carli Jensen

Toxics Campaign Director

Maryland PIRG

Cell: 206-766-0510

[email protected]

Timothy L. Goldsby, Jr.

Legislative Aide

Office of Councilman Bill Henry

Baltimore City Council — 4th District

[email protected]

[1] The Right to Know Network, a Center for Effective Government Website, RMP Facilities in Baltimore, Maryland, http://www.rtknet.org/db/rmp/rmp.php?reptype=f&database=rmp&facility_name=&parent=&combined_name=&city=baltimore&county=&state=MD&zip=&district=&execsum=&all_naics=&chemical_id=&detail=-1&datype=T&sortp=F, viewed 9/14/2015