API believes final RMP Rule undermines safety

“The safety and security of employees and local communities are top priorities for our industry, and America has seen significant performance improvements across workplaces under the existing Risk Management Program regulations. The EPA has failed to demonstrate a need for its rigid approach in this new rule, which could have adverse impacts to workers and consumers alike by undermining ongoing safety improvements, impacting energy production and diminishing the ability of US refineries to compete in global markets. We will explore all options to address the flaws in this misguided policymaking while ensuring continued safety improvements.”

The final rule incudes a requirement intended to discourage the use of HF alkylation technology, which some refiners use to make gasoline and other high octane fuels. The API believes that restricting the use of this proven technology could significantly impact refiners’ ability to produce the fuels that US consumers’ rely on every day.

In a statement, the API said that it and its members devote substantial resources to assuring safe operations through numerous programmes, technical standards, training and information sharing activities, including API’s Process Safety Site Assessment Program (PSSAP). As a result, the natural gas and oil industry consistently ranks as one of the safest industries to work in, with occupational injuries and illnesses significantly lower than the rest of the US private sector.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/04032024/api-believes-final-rmp-rule-undermines-safety/