ACC Comments On Chemical Facility Safety And Security Interagency Report To The White House

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Jun 06, 2014, 03:11 ET

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) issued the following statement today regarding the release of the report sent to the White House by an interagency Working Group as part of Executive Order 13650, "Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security":

"We value the hard work that went into generating these important recommendations and have appreciated the opportunity to participate throughout the process to offer our views for enhancing safety and security. Nothing is more important to ACC and our members than the safety and security of our facilities, employees and communities.

"This commitment is clearly demonstrated through ACC's Responsible Care^® program, which is the chemical industry's comprehensive environmental, health, safety and security performance initiative, and is mandatory for membership in ACC. The Responsible Care program is designed for continuous improvement and has already contributed to one of the strongest safety records in U.S. manufacturing.

"We believe the goals of the Responsible Care program are very much in line with the goals of the President's Executive Order, which is why we continue to urge the Working Group to leverage industry programs to help address some of the future challenges outlined in the report.

"ACC, along with other industry groups, recently advised the Working Group to pursue options that would improve regulatory coordination and information sharing, and we're encouraged that these concepts have been incorporated into this proposal.

"We are concerned, however, with the recommendations regarding the promotion of safer alternatives, which we believe could have the potential for creating an unnecessary layer of duplicative requirements that would only serve to create confusion for the regulated community and stretch agency resources – time and money that could be put to better use.

"Furthermore, we are concerned that the report calls for the development of new requirements as a means to modernizing EPA and OSHA standards. We believe that the Working Group should consider such measures as strengthening regulatory oversight through improved enforcement, outreach and compliance assistance to support existing regulatory requirements."

"As we have done throughout the development of this report, we will continue to work with the Administration on constructive approaches that protect our employees and communities, as well as promote innovation, job growth and a strong economy."

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The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care^®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $770 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for twelve percent of all U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council