Report Finds Chemical Plants at Risk

The U.S. Congressional Research Service warned in a report that a disaster at certain chemical plants could endanger the lives of more than 1 million people, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, June 15).

Plants in 23 states are located in heavily populated areas, according to the report. Using data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the report found that more than 100 plants were potential targets for terrorism, AP reported.

“Chemical facilities are at the top of the terrorists’ target list, and I thought it would be helpful for the full picture to be presented,” said Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who requested the report.

The Research Service compiled state-by-state figures, but it did not specify the names or locations of facilities. The report said one chemical release was not likely to affect the full nearby population.

Researchers also found that one-fifth of chemical facilities are located near population centers. At least 106 facilities are located near cities with populations of 1 million or more people.

Texas is home to 29 of the plants, more than twice any other state. California and Illinois have 13 such plants each, while Ohio has eight. Florida and New Jersey have seven each.

A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency and environmental experts said that the Research Service’s estimate is less than the 123 plants at risk in a 2000 survey. They attribute the drop to industry efforts to move dangerous chemicals away from population centers.

Chemical experts said factors such as wind and the size of a chemical leak would determine how many casualties result from an attack. An attack on a plant could cause the release of “poison gas clouds to kill people,” said chemical industry watchdog Andy Igrejas of the National Environmental Trust. “It's violent deaths you're talking about — it melts your lungs, essentially.”

Markey said industry has not done enough to find alternatives, test security or protect whistleblowers at plants. He added that the Bush administration “still has refused to put its money where its mouth is and commit to any meaningful upgrades” (Lara Jakes Jordan, Associated Press/Yahoo News, July 6).

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