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Statement of Need:

On January 13, 2017, the EPA published a final RMP rule (2017 Amendments) to prevent and mitigate the effect of accidental releases of hazardous chemicals from facilities that use, manufacture, and store them. The 2017 Amendments were a result of Executive Order 13650, Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security, which directed EPA (and several other federal agencies) to, among other things, modernize policies, regulations, and standards to enhance safety and security in chemical facilities. The 2017 Amendments rule contained various new provisions applicable to RMP-regulated facilities addressing prevention program elements, emergency coordination with local responders, and information availability to the public. EPA received three petitions for reconsideration of the 2017 Amendments rule under CAA section 307(d)(7)(B). On December 19, 2019, EPA promulgated a final RMP rule (2019 Revisions) that acts on the reconsideration. The 2019 Revisions rule repealed several major provisions of the 2017 Amendments and retained other provisions with modifications.

On January 20, 2021, Executive Order 13990, Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis (EO 13990), directed federal agencies to review existing regulations and take action to address priorities established by the new administration including bolstering resilience to the impact of climate change and prioritizing environmental justice. The EPA is considering developing a regulatory action to revise the current RMP regulations. The proposed rule would address the administration's priorities and focus on regulatory revisions completed since 2017. The proposed rule would also expect to contain a number of proposed modifications to the RMP regulations based in part on stakeholder feedback received from RMP public listening sessions held on June 16 and July 8, 2021.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

The CAA section 112(r)(7)(A) authorizes the EPA Administrator to promulgate accidental release prevention, detection, and correction requirements, which may include monitoring, record keeping, reporting, training, vapor recovery, secondary containment, and other design, equipment, work practice, and operational requirements. The CAA section 112(r)(7)(B) authorizes the Administrator to promulgate reasonable regulations and appropriate guidance to provide, to the greatest extent practicable, for the prevention and detection of accidental releases of regulated substances and for response to such releases by the owners or operators of the sources of such releases.

Alternatives:

The EPA currently plans to prepare a notice of proposed rulemaking that would provide the public an opportunity to comment on the proposal, and any regulatory alternatives that may be identified within the preamble to the proposed rulemaking.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

Costs may include the burden on regulated entities associated with implementing new or revised requirements including program implementation, training, equipment purchases, and recordkeeping, as applicable. Some costs could also accrue to implementing agencies and local governments, due to new or revised provisions associated with emergency response. Benefits will result from avoiding the harmful accident consequences to communities and the environment, such as deaths, injuries, and property damage, environmental damage, and from mitigating the effects of releases that may occur. Similar benefits will accrue to regulated entities and their employees.

Risks:

The proposed action would address the risks associated with accidental releases of listed regulated toxic and flammable substances to the air from stationary sources. Substances regulated under the RMP program include highly toxic and flammable substances that can cause deaths, injuries, property and environmental damage, and other on- and off-site consequences if accidentally released. The proposed action would reduce these risks by potentially making accidental releases less likely, and by mitigating the severity of releases that may occur. The proposed action would not address the risks of non-accidental chemical releases, accidental releases of non-regulated substances, chemicals released to other media, and air releases from mobile sources.