UPDATED: The EPA Proposed Chemical Safety Rule, Findings and Recommendations, Urgent Action Requested

TRAA Urgent Action Request: Urge the EPA & White House to Require HF Refineries to Convert.

The EPA proposal does not require refineries to phase out hydrofluoric acid or HF, but leaves it up to the owners to determine if they need to convert.

This can still be changed.

HF is exceptionally dangerous because it can cause mass casualties. See an HF cloud up close in this video. Urgent action is needed to let them know that their proposed safety rule is insufficient and does not protect us.

Information You Will Need to Urge the EPA & White House to Require HF Refineries to Convert

Here is a Sample Letter to get you started, and an easy link to submit your comments on-line directly or by attaching your letter (or even videos). If you do submit it on-line, please email a copy to TRAA at info@traa.website.

EPA Rule findings and recommendations

The agency stated “An accidental release of  HF from one of these industrial facilities could have severe consequences. HF is toxic to humans, flora and fauna in certain doses and can still be lethal as demonstrated by documented workplace accidents. HF can travel significant distances downwind as a dense vapor and aerosol under certain accidental release conditions. Because HF can exist as an aerosol, the cloud can contain a substantially greater quantity of the chemical than otherwise would be the case. Thus, the potentially high concentration of HF in these dense vapor and aerosol clouds could pose a significant threat to the public, especially in those instances where HF is handled at facilities located in densely populated areas. Prompt and specialized medical attention is necessary to treat HF exposure properly.

“However the risk to the public to exposure to HF is a function of both potential consequences and the likelihood of occurrence of accidental release: and the likelihood of an accidental release of HF can be kept low if facility owners/operators exercise the general duty and responsibility to design, operate, and maintain safe facilities.”

Read more of the PDF of EPA’s hydrogen fluoride study report to Congress: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/10003920.PDF?Dockey=10003920.PDF

Videos courtesy of TRAA

President Joe Biden on preventing chemical disasters: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/TRAA/FMfcgzGqQcrDZjZwMDmfRzKkJXgmBVCM?projector=1

Cloud of Fire; June refinery explosions in Philadelphia Pennsylvania: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/TRAA/FMfcgzGqQcrDZjZwMDmfRzKkJXgmBVCM?projector=1

EPA virtual public hearings are easy to join (register below). If you want to make an Oral Comment please select “yes” when asked.

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Sept. 26 (Register here) 

1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 27 (Register here)

5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 (Register here)

Details: https://tinyurl.com/2sed4bxa