RALEIGH—Governor
Easley is scheduled to sign into a law an NCPIRG-backed bill, H36, that
will improve safety in chemical plants and provide the public and first
responders with more information about the contents of these plants.
The bill is a product of months of work by a Governor-appointed task
force, legislators, first responders and advocacy groups.
“This
bill provides first responders with information they need to know, it
provides residents with information they have a right to know, and it
protects the public health in North Carolina,” stated NCPIRG Policy
Advocate Rob Thompson.
During
the Apex fire, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers didn’t
know what was burning inside and why the smoke billowing from the plant
was yellow. H36 will provide information to the right people so they
can make the right decision in the event of another incident.
Specifically, H36 will create a real-time database of what types of
chemicals are in a facility and where they are in the facility,
providing first responders with the information they need to make safe,
effective decisions. Furthermore, the bill will require chemical plant
operators to inform residents within a ¼ mile radius of the plant of
the types of chemicals stored on site and what to do in case of an
emergency.
“The
explosion at Apex revealed that, even five years after 9/11, we’ve done
far too little to make our chemical facilities safer,” said Thompson.
“This legislation will provide our residents and first responders with
the information they need to make safe and effective decisions in the
event of another explosion.”
Additionally,
H36 will reduce the likelihood of a future explosion. Recent reports
have revealed that the Environmental Quality plant in Apex was a
ticking time bomb. In fact, former EQ workers told state investigators
that the company's Apex warehouse was plagued by fires and potentially
dangerous chemical reactions.
H36
will enact measures to improve safety at chemical waste plants by
requiring the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to
conduct more frequent inspections based on increased residences within
a ¼ mile radius of the plant. The bill also requires the plant to
maintain 24 hour surveillance of its facilities.
“We
deeply appreciate Governor Easley’s leadership on this important issue
and we hope that he will continue to reduce the impact of dangerous
chemicals in our communities,” continued Thompson.
While
improving safety in and around hazardous chemical plants is critical,
legislators should next turn their attention to replacing the most
dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives, which are readily
available for many hazardous chemicals.
“We
wouldn’t have to worry so much about explosions if the stuff that
explodes wasn’t there in the first place,” stated Thompson.
