U.S. Chemical Safety Board Could be Eliminated

Summary

The Trump administration has proposed to eliminate the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) by October 2026, citing fiscal responsibility and redundancy with existing regulatory agencies. This proposal, embedded in the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, has sparked bipartisan opposition in Congress and concern among industry groups. Background on the CSBEstablished in 1990 and operational since 1998, the CSB is an independent federal agency tasked with investigating industrial chemical accidents. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the agency's board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It conducts root cause analyses of chemical incidents at fixed industrial facilities and issues safety recommendations to prevent future occurrences. Although the CSB lacks regulatory authority, its findings have influenced policies at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) . The CSB investigative staff includes chemical and mechanical engineers, industrial safety experts, and other specialists with experience in the private and public sectors. Many investigators have years of chemical industry experience.The CSB currently operates with just three Senate-confirmed members, down from its full complement of five, yet continues to issue major safety reports — including its latest on three catastrophic events at a Honeywell facility in Louisiana. In the CSB’S 25-year history, the agency has deployed to over 170 chemical incidents and issued more than 1000 recommendations that have led to numerous safety improvements across a wide variety of industries.After a CSB team reaches a chemical incident site, investigators begin their work by conducting detailed interviews of witnesses such as plant employees, managers, and neighbors. Chemical samples and equipment obtained from accident sites are sent to independent laboratories for testing. Company safety records, inventories, and op...