DANGEROUS PLAY – An estimated 142,000 children in Texas attend schools within two miles of a chemical plant or oil refinery.

On December 19, Senators Collins (ME) and Lieberman (CT) introduced legislation to protect refineries and chemical facilities from terrorist attacks, after months of hearings and negotiations on the issue.

“While this bill isn’t the magic bullet, it may offer Texans increased protection,” said Meghan Purvis environmental health advocate for TexPIRG. “The bill doesn’t take advantage of safe technologies that would not only offer more protection from sabotage, but would make refineries safer against natural disasters and plant accidents. The only silver lining is that it gives the Department of Homeland Security greater power to enforce plant safety.”

The chemical security bill includes strong provisions that require chemical plants to develop vulnerability assessments, site security plans, and emergency response plans. In addition, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to review all plans, and assess criminal penalties for non-compliance.

However, the bill does not require chemical companies to use safer chemicals and processes in order to protect the public.

“Higher fences and more guards are not going to protect the American public from a terrorist attack at a chemical facility,” said Purvis. “Requiring companies to use safer chemicals, particularly when safer and cost-effective technologies are available, is the common-sense way to completely remove the threat.”

Purvis pointed to oil refineries as an example of an industry that uses a dangerous chemical when a safer alternative exists. TexPIRG’s report “Needless Risk: Oil Refineries and Hazard Reduction” found that two-thirds of the oil refineries in the US currently use a safer alternative.