A new safety rule imposed after a fatal West Texas fertilizer explosion in 2013 is delayed under the new administration, according to an article from U.S. News & World Report. Scott Pruitt, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency delays the effective date of the rule, which tightens safety requirements for companies that store large quantities of dangerous chemicals, until June amid pushback from the chemical industry and other groups that say it increases the risk of a terrorist attack.
According to the article, opponents of the rule believe it makes them more vulnerable to targeting by terrorists and other criminals because it requires companies to make public the types and quantities of chemicals stored on site. The rule, which was finalized seven days before Barack Obama left office, was designed to help enhance emergency preparedness by allowing first responders better data on chemical storage and modernizing policies and regulations. The rule reportedly followed a three-year process that included eight public hearings and more than 44,000 public comments, according to numbers cited by the Environmental Justice Health Alliance, an advocacy group.
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