SERC-TERC Updates: April 2025
Mention of non-EPA documents, presentations, training opportunities and conferences does not constitute an U.S. EPA endorsement of their contents, only an acknowledgment that they exist and may be relevant to the SERC-TERC audience.
Regulatory and Policy Information Related to Chemical Safety & Security
EPA Will Revise Waters of the United States Rule
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that EPA will work with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to deliver on President’s Trump’s promise to review the definition of “waters of the United States.” News release.
EPA Announces Reconsideration of the Risk Management Plan Rule
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency is reconsidering the 2024 Risk Management Plan rule. News release.
EPA Consolidated List of Lists - Error Notice
Please note that the Consolidated List of Lists, published in October 2024, contains several errors which are notable. The Agency will be publishing a corrected document as soon as possible. In the interim, please be aware of the following errors:
- The entries for “Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)”, “Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, salts, & structural isomers”, “Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)”, and “Perfluorooctanoic acid, salts, & structural isomers” incorrectly indicate that these substances are EPCRA Extremely Hazardous Substances (EPCRA-EHSs) and that they are not CERCLA HSs. Correction: PFOA, PFOS, including their salts and isomers are not EPCRA-EHSs (40 CFR 355). PFOA, PFOS, including their salts and isomers are CERCLA hazardous substances (40 CFR 302.4);
- The second entry for “Nitric acid (conc 80% or greater)” should simply be “Nitric acid”. The “(conc 80% or greater)” is only specifically applicable to CAA 112(r)(7), the other regulations do not restrict regulation to concentrations at or above 80%.
- The “i" codes in the CERCLA RQ field, are incorrectly placed and belong in the CWA TQ column. The “®” codes in the CWA TQ column should be “i" codes. This code indicates a structural isomer to the chemical listed in 40 CFR 117.3.
- Codes 1-9 in the name column are not uniformly used or listed. These codes indicate incorrect CAS numbers in the CFRs.
The EPA provides the “List of Lists” or the “Consolidated List of Chemicals Subject to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), Section 112(r)(7) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), and Section 311 of the Clean Water Act (CWA)” as a reference tool. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for each regulation is the official source for the substances which are subject to each of the regulated list of chemicals within the List of Lists.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Advocates for Enhancing Pipeline Safety
Hot Topics
Changes to the EPA Information Center for EPCRA, RMP, and Oil Regulations
The EPA’s Information Center which answers questions for CERCLA Release Reporting, CWA Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plan Regulations, EPCRA (SARA Title III), RMP, and Oil Spill Prevention and Preparedness Regulations is no longer operational. EPA is providing support via email (infocenter-chemical-oil@epa.gov). The phone numbers that may be listed on the Contact Us websites and have been distributed in published resources have been disconnected.
EPA Discontinues TRI Information Center
The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program no longer provides the TRI information center/hotline that regulated facilities could previously call to get guidance on EPCRA Section 313 (TRI) reporting. Facilities should now refer to GuideME, the consolidated library of TRI guidance materials, or contact the TRI Program at tri.help@epa.gov.
CERCLA Continuous Release Reporting Submission Address
The U.S. EPA would like to provide a reminder that CERCLA Continuous Release Reports, which are submitted by facilities pursuant to 40 CFR 302.8, should be sent to the below address and not to the EPA Regional Offices. For more information please visit: www.epa.gov/epcra/cercla-and-epcra-continuous-release-reporting
Chemical Preparedness Planning Handbook
The National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) in partnership with Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) developed a Chemical Preparedness Handbook designed to assist local health departments (LHDs) in developing effective public health emergency preparedness and response plans for low-probability, high-risk chemical incidents. The handbook contains information on chemical incident planning and mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. It also contains several planning checklists with recommended steps and actions for LHDs to consider when developing preparedness plans tailored to their community. This Handbook has been published and is available on the NACCHO website.
U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Releases New Safety Video on 2020 Fatal Propylene Release and Explosion at the Watson Grinding Facility in Houston, Texas
The CSB released a new safety video on its investigation into the January 24, 2020, fatal propylene release and explosion at the Watson Grinding and Manufacturing Company facility in Houston, Texas. The massive explosion resulted in the death of two workers and a nearby resident and damaged hundreds of neighboring homes.
U.S. CSB Issues Final Report into 2023 Fire at the Marathon Renewables Facility in Martinez, California
The CSB released its final investigation report into the November 19, 2023, fire at the Marathon Martinez Renewables facility in Martinez, CA. The incident seriously injured one employee, who suffered third-degree burns over most of his face and body, and resulted in approximately $350 million in property damage to the facility.
U.S. CSB Releases Second Update into Fatal Hydrogen Sulfide Release at PEMEX Refinery in Deer Park, Texas
The CSB released a second update on its ongoing investigation into the fatal hydrogen sulfide release that occurred on October 10, 2024, at the PEMEX Deer Park Refinery in Deer Park, Texas. Two contract workers died during the incident, and over 27,000 pounds of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas were released. Local authorities issued shelter-in-place orders lasting several hours for the neighboring cities of Deer Park and Pasadena.
U.S. CSB Releases New Report to Mark the 20th Anniversary of Fatal BP Texas City Refinery Disaster
The CSB marked the 20th anniversary of the fatal explosions and fires at BP America Texas City Refinery in Texas City, TX, that occurred on March 23, 2005. To remember this event, the CSB released a new report entitled “The 20th Anniversary of the 2005 Fatal BP America Refinery Explosion in Texas City, TX - Lessons Learned and Improvements Implemented by Industry.” This new report, called an “investigation digest”, summarizes the recommendations made by the CSB as a result of its investigation of the BP Texas City disaster and some of the steps that have been taken by the chemical industry since 2005 to improve safety at refineries and other chemical facilities.
U.S. CSB Releases Volume 2 of Chemical Incident Reports
The CSB announced that it has released Volume 2 of its Incident Reports. Volume 2 covers 25 serious chemical incidents in 14 states: Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. These serious incidents resulted in 7 fatalities, 23 serious injuries, and approximately $1 billion in property damage.
For more information on CSB updates and news releases please visit www.csb.gov or contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen at Hillary.Cohen@csb.gov.
Training Opportunities and Conferences
EPA Tribal Webinar Recordings
The US EPA recently hosted two webinars focused on developing the Chemical Tribal Emergency Planning Framework. The training recordings and presentation materials are available as follows:
SARA Title III for the Tribal Superfund Community
Provides an overview of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, which is also known as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorizations Act (SARA Title III). The presentation is focused on how EPCRA may be useful for remediation programs and offer an introduction to how Tribal communities can organize to work within the emergency planning and response framework to enhance chemical safety. The training includes an overview by the US EPA and insights on the challenges and successes of Tribal implementation of EPCRA offered by Ruby Dawn Manning of the Shosone-Paiute Tribe. Training materials should be published on the following website: Past Tribal Oil Spill Prevention and Chemical Emergency Preparedness Webinars | US EPA. Additional resources are in the slide notes. If materials are not available on the website, you may request the materials by emailing: infocenter-chemical-oil@epa.gov.
Developing the Tribal Chemical Emergency Planning Framework
Provides the foundational knowledge and resources needed for Tribes to develop their chemical emergency planning frameworks. This includes how to develop a Tribal Emergency Response Commission (TERC) or a Tribal Emergency Planning Committee , and also to discuss the interactions between Tribes, States, regulated facilities, and locals. The training will include an overview provided by the US EPA and insights on the challenges and successes of Tribal implementation of EPCRA offered by Chuck Kmet, Emergency Manager for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. Training materials can be found at: Tribal Superfund Working Group | Tribal Lands Assistance Center (Titled “December 2024:EPCRA Discussion) Training Additional resources are in the slide notes.
Ammonia Safety & Training Institute presents Safety Day training and chemical Tabletop Exercises available to local industry and community responders
For a current list of events: Event Schedule.
Contact ASTI via email at asti@ammonia-safety.com or call 831-761-2935 for more information.