The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency relaxes an Obama-era safety rule enacted after a fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas that killed a dozen first responders in 2013, according to an article from Houston Public Media. The “Chemical Disaster Rule,” as it came to be known, was designed to make it easier for the public to access hazard planning documents, provided increased information to local officials and required more coordination with first responders.
The rule, widely panned by the chemical industry, had been delayed under the Trump administration, according to the article. Officials reportedly argued the rule was too burdensome and that the public disclosure elements increased the risk of terror attacks.
Read the entire article here.
