On August 18, 2022, EPA signed the Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention (SCCAP) rule, which proposes revisions to the Risk Management Program (RMP) to further protect vulnerable communities from chemical accidents, especially those living near facilities with high accident rates. The proposed rule would strengthen the existing program and includes new safeguards that have not been addressed in prior RMP rules. Some of the proposed requirements include identifying safer technologies and chemical alternatives, more thorough incident investigations, and third-party auditing, all of which should benefit nearby communities. When finalized, the rule is expected to make communities safer by reducing the frequency of chemical releases and their adverse effects.
The purpose of this action is to propose changes to the RMP rule in order to improve safety at facilities that use and distribute hazardous chemicals. The RMP regulations have been effective in preventing and mitigating chemical accidents in the United States. However, EPA believes that revisions could further protect human health and the environment from chemical hazards through the advancement of process safety based on lessons learned. These proposed revisions are a result of a review of the existing RMP regulations and information gathered from the 2021 virtual public listening sessions (hereinafter referred to as the “2021 listening
sessions”).