The Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery explosion that occurred on June 21, 2019, sent shockwaves through the community and raised concerns about the safety of petrochemical facilities across the country. The incident, which involved a leak from a corroded pipe containing hydrofluoric acid (HF), resulted in three large explosions and a massive fire that sent smoke billowing into the sky. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but five workers were injured, and around 1,000 employees were left jobless and without severance pay when the company filed for bankruptcy and shut down shortly after.
The use of HF in refineries is regulated under the EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP), a set of regulations designed to improve chemical accident prevention at large petrochemical facilities. However, the effectiveness of these regulations has come into question over the years due to their susceptibility to changes in presidential administrations and political whims.
The RMP program was established in 1990 in response to a series of chemical disasters in the 1980s, including the infamous Bhopal disaster in India, which poisoned hundreds of thousands of people and resulted in thousands of deaths. The program underwent amendments in 2017 under the Obama administration to enhance emergency preparedness requirements and improve public access to information about potential chemical disasters. However, these provisions were rolled back under the Trump administration in 2018, leaving facilities vulnerable to accidents like the one at the Philadelphia refinery.
In response to these concerns, the Biden administration began working on a new set of amendments to the RMP rule in 2021, with a focus on improving public disclosure provisions, expanding the scope of facilities subject to safer technology assessments, and empowering workers to halt unsafe operations. The final rule was announced in March 2023 and was set to go into effect in 2027.
Despite these efforts, chemical disasters continue to pose risks to communities across the country. A fire at Marathon Petroleum’s refinery in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana in August 2023 caused residents to evacuate, but concerns arose when neither the company nor state and federal regulators responded to inquiries about the chemicals present in the air.
The incidents at the Philadelphia refinery and other facilities highlight the ongoing challenges in ensuring the safety of petrochemical operations and the importance of robust regulations and oversight to prevent future disasters. A tragic hydrogen sulfide leak at Pemex’s refinery in Deer Park, Texas in 2024 resulted in the deaths of two contract workers and injuries to 35 others. The incident highlighted the dangers faced by workers in the oil and gas industry and raised concerns about safety regulations.
In the aftermath of the accident, industry trade associations sent a letter to Lee Zeldin, the newly appointed EPA Administrator, criticizing Biden’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) rule. They argued that the rule overstepped the EPA’s authority and failed to address facility safety effectively. They specifically pointed out an interactive map published by the agency that provided public information about RMP facilities across the country.
Zeldin, in response to industry concerns, announced that the EPA would reconsider the RMP rule. He echoed industry claims that the rule made chemical and sensitive facilities more vulnerable to attacks and hindered the competitiveness of domestic oil refineries and chemical facilities.
Environmental advocates and experts, however, expressed disappointment and frustration with the decision to revisit the RMP rule. They argued that the rule was carefully crafted over several years to enhance safety and transparency in the industry. Darya Minovi, a senior analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, emphasized that the public data tool did not compromise national security and had been reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security without any concerns.
Despite industry and government claims about national security and competitiveness, concerns were raised about the potential risks posed to workers and communities by rolling back the RMP rule. The U.S. Steelworkers representative highlighted the importance of prioritizing safety over economic interests, emphasizing that compromising safety could have catastrophic consequences for workers and communities.
The debate surrounding the RMP rule underscored the delicate balance between industry interests, national security, and worker safety. As the EPA reevaluates the rule, it is essential to consider all perspectives and prioritize the well-being of workers and communities in the oil and gas sector.
