[CPEO-MEF] epa website and security / terrorist issues

[meuser@mapcruzin.com]

Hi - Some parts of the EPA website are up and running though you 
will still find many "page not found" messages.  As EPA solves 
their security problems I imagine more of their websites and data 
will again be available online.  This pressuring of EPA to shutdown 
their website is not the first time that Rep. Tom Bliley has flexed 
his political muscles on environmental and security issues.  Earlier 
in the year he convinced EPA and the Whitehouse that posting of 
the Offsite Consequence Analysis (OCA) of the RMP reports -- 
commonly know as "worst case scenarios" -- would increase the 
threat of terrorist attacks on facilities that use highly hazardous 
material.  The "worst case scenarios" are not available on the web.

As of December -- 6 months AFTER the June, 99 deadline -- only 
about 15,000 of the original 66,000 facilities that were to report their
"worst case scenarios" had done so.  At the last minute EPA 
excluded some uses of propane and it's estimated that this 
dropped the number of reporting facilities to 30,000+.  That means 
that at least 50% of the facilities (15,000) did not report as they 
should.

Given Tom Bliley's high concern for security and terrorist issues 
one would think, following his latest actions, that in the public 
interest he should call for a shutdown of facilities who have 
submitted "worst case scenarios" that present an unacceptable 
risk for danger to their respective communities until the facilities, in
the event of a terrorist attack (or any other accident for that matter),
do not present such a risk.  It would also make sense to shutdown 
all facilities who should, but as of now have not submitted their 
reports.  Further, he should call for a shutdown of any reporting 
facilities websites that may in some way help a terrorist locate the 
facility and find out what chemicals they have on hand.

We should keep in mind that some members of EPA's Electronic 
Submission Workgroup said "that the 'hazard' comes from the 
chemicals that are present in the community, not from the 
information about the chemicals being publicized. In fact, they 
believe a successful RMP program, including full disclosure of OCA 
data, will reduce the inherent hazards in the community."

Further information may be found at:

http://www.mapcruzin.com/rmp_maps/about_maps.htm and
http://www.mapcruzin.com/rmp_maps/rmp_resources.htm

Contact Rep. Tom Bliley at tom.bliley@mail.house.gov

Mike

Michael R. Meuser,
Environmental Sociologist
meuser@mapcruzin.com

http://www.mapcruzin.com/
Environmental Communication, GIS, RTK
Environmental & Sociodemographic Research
"Making Data Make Sense"


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