At least the press seems to be on top of this. I've been fielding a bunch of calls from reporters. For what it's worth, plants and refineries represented by our union have been the subject of more CSB reports than those of any other union, or any company. More of our workplaces fall under the OSHA PSM standard and the EPA RMP requirements. And more could be the site of a catastrophic accident. We were also a major part of the lobbying effort that established the CSB in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. We have a pretty big stake in this.

Here's what we've been saying to the press:

"Obviously we will oppose eliminating the Chemical Safety Board. It's recommendations have certainly made the industry safer, and helped prevent major chemical accidents. The cost of even one such accident is more than the CSB's budget over its entire history. And that calculation is only economic. The human cost of such an accident would be enormous. The CSB's work has saved the lives of workers in chemical plants and oil refineries, residents who could be caught in a toxic cloud, even students in high school chemistry labs.

"Of course the CSB is only one of the critical agencies slated for major cuts or outright elimination. This budget is a major attack on the health and welfare of the American people."

Michael J. Wright
Director of Health, Safety and Environment
United Steelworkers

412-562-2580 office
412-370-0105 cell

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."
Jack Layton

-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 10:08 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] New CSB budget proposal

From page 5 of the Office of Management and Budget https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/2018_blueprint.pdf

The Budget also proposes to eliminate funding for other independent agencies, including: the African Development Foundation; the Appalachian Regional Commission; the Chemical Safety Board; the Corporation for National and Community Service; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; the Delta Regional Authority; the Denali Commission; the Institute of Museum and Library Services; the Inter-American Foundation; the U.S. Trade and Development Agency; the Legal Services Corporation; the National Endowment for the Arts; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; the Northern Border Regional Commission; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; the United States Institute of Peace; the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness; and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

---
This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety.
For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

---
This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety.
For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post