Letter to Rafael Moure-Eraso, Chairman US Chemical Safety Board

Letter

Dear Chairman Moure-Eraso:

I am exasperated to hear about the U.S. Chemical Safety Board's (CSB) sudden change to the previously scheduled January 30 meeting in Anacortes to investigate the April 2010 explosion at the Tesoro refinery.

Yesterday, the CSB put notice in the Federal Register canceling the public board meeting to consider the report on the accident, and in its place scheduled a "listening session." My understanding is that CSB will provide no advance copies of the draft report on the accident to the public until the meeting occurs. Additionally, the notice indicates that CSB will limit public input at the session.

The Anacortes community deserves better after four years of waiting and countless delays from CSB.

My constituents will not be afforded an appropriate opportunity to weigh in with the CSB Board in person unless they are given enough time to evaluate the investigations complex and numerous findings. You assured me that my constituents would be given that basic opportunity when we spoke in April 2013 about the progress of the report. I am concerned that you are not meeting that commitment.

I urge you to do at least the bare minimum to meet your agency's mandate: issue the draft report quickly and schedule a public meeting in Anacortes after enough time has passed for the public to consider the report's recommendations.

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