Coalition Press Releases & Statements

We maintain a list of chemical facility incidents since April 2020 here. Below, you will find joint statements and press releases from members of the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters. Please also take a look at the Coalition resources, which include reports, press releases and blogs from individual Coalition members, as well as archival materials. 

New map shows toxic chemical releases, fires and explosions occur every two days on average across the U.S.

The Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters urges EPA to enact stronger protections for workers and communities at the fenceline of hazardous facilities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, February 25, 2023 Press Contact: Deidre Nelms, dnelms@comingcleaninc.org, 802-251-0203 ext. 711 A new map released by the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters today shows that the toxic train derailment […]

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100+ organizations urge EPA to live up to its EJ commitments by strengthening chemical disaster rule

Press contact: Deidre Nelms, dnelms@comingcleaninc.org 802-251-0203 ext. 711  (October 31, 2022) 101 organizations that are members or allies of the Coalition to Prevent ChemicalDisasters urged the EPA to fully satisfy the law and the agency’s core commitments on environmental justice, worker safety, and climate change by strengthening its proposed Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention […]

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Broad coalition of climate, environmental justice, health and labor organizations calls on EPA to set new safety standards that actually prevent chemical disasters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 29, 2022  Press contacts: Deidre Nelms, Coming Clean, (802) 251-0203 ext. 711 dnelms@comingcleaninc.orgBrian Gumm, Center for Progressive Reform, 202-747-0698 x2, bgumm@progressivereform.org Seth D. Michaels, Union of Concerned Scientists, 202-331-5662, smichaels@ucsusa.org  On August 19, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention (SCCAP) rule, which made long-awaited […]

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EPA Should Include Climate Risks in Chemical Facility Safety Rules

New federal watchdog report underscores communities need safeguards from chemical disasters caused by extreme weather FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2022 PRESS CONTACT: Erin Fitzgerald, Earthjustice Press Secretary, efitzgerald@earthjustice.org WASHINGTON, D.C. —  A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published yesterday finds that commercial and industrial facilities are currently exposed to present-day risks of natural hazards and that one-third […]

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The Environmental Justice Health Alliance and 58 other organizations submit public comments urging improved Risk Management Plan rule

59 organizations representing fenceline, community, worker, environmentaljustice, business, conservation, science, health and other constituencies affected by chemicaldisasters and EPA’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) regulation and program, manydisproportionately impacted by chemical hazards and incidents, submitted these comments on July30, 2021 in response to Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OLEM-2021-0312.

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Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters Denounces Repeal of Chemical Disaster Prevention Rule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 21, 2019 Media Contacts: Environmental Justice Health Alliance: Michele Roberts, (202) 704-7593, mroberts@comingcleaninc.org; or Eric Whalen, (971) 998-8786, ericwhalen@comingcleaninc.org BlueGreen Alliance: Abby Harvey, (202) 706-6904, aharvey@bluegreenalliance.org Paul Orum, independent expert on chemical facility safety, (202) 507-3211, paul_orum@yahoo.com Trump Administration Rollback Will Lead to More Chemical Disasters Worker and Community Advocates Denounce […]

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40,000+ People Urge EPA To Take Chemical Disasters Seriously, Require Safer Alternatives To Save Lives

[Washington, D.C.] – Representatives of The Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters gathered outside the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) federal offices to present comments from over 125 organizations and 40,000 members of the public gathered over the preceding 60 day comment period. Responding to EPA’s proposed “Modernization of the Accidental Release Prevention Regulations,” people from across […]

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Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters Testifies at EPA

Leaders from from EarthJustice, Greenpeace, Moms Clean Air Force and the Union of Concerned Scientists were among members of the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters who testified at EPA’s March 29th hearing on the Agency’s newly proposed chemical plant safety rules. In the picture are: Logan Sheehan, Liam Sheehan, Trisha Sheehan, Wiebke Simmons, Jessica Hodge, […]

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EPA Proposed Rule: A Missed Opportunity to Prevent Plant Chemical Disasters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EPA Proposed Rule: A Missed Opportunity to Prevent Plant Chemical Disasters (Washington, D.C. – February 26, 2016) – The Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters issued the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed “Modernization of the Accidental Release Prevention Regulations under Clean Air Act.” As a result of […]

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Poll Shows Bi-Partisan Support for New Rules to Prevent Chemical Disasters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                           Poll Shows Bi-Partisan Support for New Rules to Prevent Chemical Disasters But Will EPA Fall Short? (Washington DC—October 8, 2015)— As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers new chemical plant safety rules, a new national survey of likely 2016 voters shows strong support among Democrats, Republicans and Independents for policies that would […]

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Coalition Response to EPA and OSHA’s Voluntary Chemical Disaster “Alert” Calls on President Obama to Issue Enforceable Requirement

In response to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new chemical facility alert, the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters issued the following statement: Yesterday’s alert from the EPA & OSHA will not protect workers or communities from chemical disasters. Two years after the fatal West, TX fertilizer explosion, we […]

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We All Live in Bhopal: Commemorating 30 years of the Union Carbide Disaster in Bhopal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              December 01, 2014 CONTACT Jayshree Chander, MD, MPH, 415-320-1538, beyondholistic@gmail.com We All Live in Bhopal: Commemorating 30 years of the Union Carbide Disaster in Bhopal Berkeley, CA – San Francisco Bay Area residents will come together December 1 – 8th to commemorate 30 years of the Union Carbide Gas Disaster in […]

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