E-M:/ Ask Levin and Stabenow to protect our Right to Know!

Please ask Senators Levin and Stabenow to support the Chemical Securities Act (the Corzine Bill) and OPPOSE the Bond Bill. The Corzine bill would require companies to assess their vulnerability, increase their security, and also look for ways to reduce chemical hazards. The Bond Bill would cut off all public access to information about chemical storage and potential consequences of a chemical release.

The Senate Will Vote SoonŠTell them to Protect Against Chemical Terrorism and Protect Your Right to Know

CHEMICAL RELEASES THREATEN MILLIONS
Thousands of industrial facilities use large quantities of highly hazardous chemicals that, in an accident, can explode, spill, or leak gas clouds that cover towns. In January, a train leaked ammonia near Minot, ND. A cloud of the toxic gas hovered over Minot for 5 hours, sending more than 1,000 people to emergency rooms. Since September 11th, it's become clear that these facilities could become terrorist targets as well, and that terrorists could threaten thousands or even millions by causing a chemical release. A in for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review demonstrated the threat by entering - and taking pictures inside of - 62 chemical plants in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Chicago, and Houston. The threat is widespread: At least 120 U.S. facilities could harm a million people each in a chemical release; 700 could each threaten 100,000.

COMMON-SENSE SOLUTIONS CAN PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
Fortunately, safer technologies and raw materials can reduce or eliminate the chance of a chemical release, making facilities less attractive as terrorist targets. In the weeks following September 11th, the Blue Plains wastewater treatment facility in Washington, DC, stopped using chlorine gas because of its highly hazardous nature. And in the last decade, more than 500 New Jersey facilities have made the same switch. In response to the Tribune-Review story, Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania is going to stop using dangerous sulfur dioxide. The State PIRGs are supporting the Chemical Security Act, introduced by Senators Corzine (NJ), Clinton (NY), Jeffords (VT), and Boxer (CA).

ALLIES OF THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY WANT SECRECY INSTEAD OF SAFETY

Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri has introduced a bill that would cut of all public access to information about chemical storage and potential consequences of a chemical release. This is information that Congress required to be made public so that communities could understand threats to their safety and could take steps to protect themselves and advocate for safer ways of doing business. Senator Bond would not take away our right to know about chemical threats, but his bill would do nothing to reduce chemical dangers or even to increase security at chemical plants

Despite the chemical industry's aggressive lobbying against the Chemical Security Act, it has been scheduled for an Environment and Public Works committee vote on July 18th. Senator Bond will likely try to attach his anti-right-to-know bill to the Chemical Security Act. It is critical that we contact Senators now to urge them to protect communities by supporting the Chemical Security Act and opposing any effort to limit our right to know about chemical dangers. Call your Senator now! There's a rap below.

"Hi, My name is ________ and I live in __________ and I'm calling because I'm concerned about chemical plant security. Thousands of industrial facilities store large amounts of hazardous chemicals that could be released in an accident or could be deliberately released by terrorists. The government has addressed a lot of security problems, but nothing has been done about chemical plants. The Environment and Public Works committee is supposed to vote on the Chemical Security Act in the coming weeks. The bill would require companies to assess their vulnerability, increase their security, and also look for ways to reduce chemical hazards.

I'm also concerned, because I've heard that Senator Bond has introduced legislation that would take away our right to know about chemicals in our communities and about the potential consequences of chemical accidents. I think that's a step in the wrong direction that won't make things safer or more secure. I hope the Senator will oppose any attempt to deny the public information about chemical hazards.

Thank you for your time."