Bob McCarty Writes

Click image above to read letter.

Twenty-seven of the nation’s leading chemical and petrochemical manufacturers, purchasers, distributors and related organizations signed on to a letter sent to Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), chair and ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, respectively.  In the letter sent this morning, they expressed four major concerns about H.R. 2868, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009:

…we also have strong concerns about the bill’s “citizen suit” provision (Section 2116), which would allow any person – even those who have not suffered any harm – to bring suit against regulated facilities or the DHS to enforce compliance with the act.

…we strongly oppose the bill’s provision (Section 2111) requiring all covered chemical facilities to assess so-called “inherently safer technologies” (ISTs) and mandating that chemical facilities assigned to “tier 1” or “tier 2” actually implement ISTs, if so ordered by DHS.

To read the entire three-page letter, click here.

Could this bad piece of legislation impact you or your business.  It could, especially if you buy anything associated with one of the organizations behind the letter.  They are listed below:

Agricultural Retailers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Forest & Paper Association, American Petroleum Institute, American Trucking Associations, Association of Oil Pipe Lines, Chemical Producers and Distributors Association, Consumer Specialty Products Association, Environmental Technology Council, Institute of Makers of Explosives, International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses, International Liquid Terminals Association, International Warehouse Logistics Association, National Agriculture Aviation Association, National Association of Chemical Distributors, National Association of Manufacturers, National Mining Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Paint and Coatings Association, National Pest Management Association, National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, National Propane Gas Association, North American Millers’ Association, Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association, Petroleum Marketers Association of America, The Fertilizer Institute, U.S. Chamber of Commerce