Additional Regulation On Fertilizer Possible
Farmers could be required to report “chemicals of interest” they possess and use under measures the Obama administration is considering to avoid disasters such as a Texas blast that killed 14 people last year.
Policy options from an inter-agency working group appointed in response to the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, in April have been posted to the regulations.gov website.
The agency consortium appointed by Obama said it was considering lowering the threshold at which the government would be notified that ammonium nitrate is being used or stored; requiring farmers to report on the so-called chemicals of interest they possess.
While legislation to make changes has failed in Congress, Obama’s regulations may achieve the result, health and safety advocates say. The inter-agency group is asking for comment on the proposals by the end of March and will then send a final proposal to the president soon after.