The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a rule that will weaken the chemical protections of the Risk Management Program (RMP). The Trump EPA plan will increase the danger for chemical industry workers and more than half of the U.S. population, who live in a worst-case scenario zone of a chemical disaster. The RMP is the nation’s primary defense against catastrophic industrial chemical releases, fires, and explosions through preventative safety measures. The EPA’s proposal would eliminate provisions essential to improving the safety of industrial facilities and protecting workers, fenceline communities, and emergency responders.

Following the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance released a statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“The Trump EPA plan to weaken the RMP rule will not just put industrial workers at risk but also fenceline and downwind communities and first responders. Removing and downgrading safety measures established in the 2024 rule will increase the risk of catastrophic chemical accidents that devastate communities and take lives, all for the sake of corporate profits. The proposed action doesn’t make America great or healthy; it makes every chemical worker and every community near a chemical plant less safe.”