US EPA delays Risk Management Program amendments to ’19

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt has signed a final rule delaying amendments to the nation’s Risk Management Program (RMP) until 19 February 2019, the regulator said on Monday.  

The RMP is designed to help prevent accidental chemical releases and to help first responders in emergencies.

According to the EPA, the delay allows the agency to conduct a reconsideration proceeding and hear additional comments.

The latest delay follows a three-month stay that Pruitt signed in March.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) petitioned for a review of the revised rule in April and backed the suggested two-year stay.

The EPA said it will consider questions and concerns received during the additional public-comment period and public hearing over the following 20 months.

Image: The RMP would affect plants like the one shown above. Source: Frank ‘Shorty’ Wilcox/REX/Shutterstock