Sen. Susan Collins has made an important push to protect and serve Mainers and all Americans by announcing her intention of “taking on” the issue of chemical plant security.
We commend Collins for turning her effective attention to this serious issue, and look forward to her leadership in this area. Here in Maine, pulp and paper mill security needs to be addressed as well because of the chemicals used in the pulping and bleaching processes.
Chemical, pulp and paper plant security may well be the final frontier in action needed to protect our communities, workers, businesses and critical infrastructure. Across the country, there are more than 100 facilities that each put more than 1 million Americans at risk of injury or death in the event of an accident or terrorist attack at these plants. Here in Maine, the problem is smaller yet significant: nine facilities each threaten 10,000 Mainers or more in the event of a catastrophic accident or attack. One only has to think back to the late 1980s accidental chlorine dioxide leak at the International Paper mill in Jay to understand the potential for real disaster should a pulp facility be attacked by hostile interests.
Little has been accomplished to protect these facilities. Reporters and activists alike have demonstrated again and again the failure of the chemical industry to protect itself. Just last year, “60 Minutes” crew members, accompanied by Sen. Jon Corzine of New Jersey found their way through holes and fence gaps to gain access to critical parts of chemical plants in that state.
At almost all of these locations in Maine, there is little to no effort to prevent unauthorized access. If “60 Minutes” came to Maine, they would be shocked at the ease of access to our mills, and the chemicals that they use within their fenced-in enclosures. Even though most locations have security details and camera systems, most of the efforts at security involve fire protection and only utilize the camera systems in the event of an incident such as a car break-in in the parking lot.
Simply put, security is effective at access gates, but very ineffective along the perimeter of the properties.
Congress has considered many fine pieces of chemical security legislation since Sept. 11, 2001, but has yet to vote in either the Senate or the House in favor of any proposal. For its part, the Bush administration backed away from earlier action to assert its authority to require these facilities to beef up their security.
Despite congressional inaction on this issue since Sept. 11, there are common-sense solutions available that could not only reduce the severity of an attack or accident at a chemical, paper or pulp plant, but would in effect prevent any such attack or accident from occurring. In thousands of facilities across the country, the use of dangerous and hazardous chemicals is unnecessary or unwarranted. Safer chemicals and processes exist that could reduce or eliminate these hazards.
In Maine, we use the Toxic Use Reduction Act to reduce chemical hazards in the workplace. Perhaps it is time for a federal initiative in this regard.
The debate so far on chemical security has seen movement from both public interest organizations as well as the chemical industry itself. Both sides of the debate agree federal legislation and action is needed to both protect the public and level the playing field. Both sides even agree that using safer chemicals and processes could be a real solution to this problem of securing chemical facilities.
There is, however, disagreement as to how much government involvement is necessary in the process of securing our chemical facilities. That’s what makes Sen. Collins’ leadership so important.
This disagreement around a homeland security issue is simply ludicrous: Sen. Collins must ensure that in issues of homeland security, the government maintains the power to enforce strong security standards and hold companies accountable when they fail to act to protect the country. However, the government could assist both companies and communities in achieving these higher security standards.
Sen. Collins has taken a great first step by announcing her intention to lead congressional action on chemical plant security and chairing a hearing on the matter before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She must now work to make sure workers and communities are truly protected, by requiring chemical plants to look for and implement safer ways of doing business wherever possible, and provide the guidance necessary to accomplish this.
Matthew Davis is an advocate for Environment Maine. Environment Maine advocates for clean air, clean water and open spaces on behalf of 3,000 members statewide. Bruce Roy is the president of the Maine Labor Council, United Steelworkers.
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