WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced March 31 that Administrator Scott Pruitt has signed a proposed rule that will further delay the EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP) amendments. This decision allows the EPA to have more time in completing the amendment process.
“We want to prevent regulation created for the sake of regulation by the previous administration,” Pruitt said. “Any expansion of the RMP program should make chemical facilities safer without compromising our national security. Any new RMP requirements should be developed in accordance with the explicit mandate granted to EPA by Congress.”
According to EPA, different petitioners have raised objections to the amendments. The decision to delay the effective date of the RMP gives EPA time to evaluate these objections and seek further public input. EPA will also use the time to ensure the RMP amendments are in accordance with Congress-enacted mandates under the Clean Air Act.
Pruitt’s proposed rule would delay the effective date of amendments to the Accidental Release Prevention requirements, meaning: Risk Management programs under the Clean Air Act until Feb. 19, 2019.
The EPA will hold a public hearing April 19 on the proposed rule before finalizing it.