President Trump is proposing to cut funding for the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), a small federal agency that investigates chemical disasters and recommends safety improvements. The move has drawn criticism from worker advocates and former board members, who warn it could leave states like West Virginia more vulnerable to future incidents.
The CSB has opened investigations into eight chemical incidents in West Virginia since 2008, including a recent leak at the Ames Goldsmith plant in Kanawha County that killed two workers and injured dozens. Maya Nye, federal policy director for Coming Clean, said such incidents are entirely preventable.
The White House argues that the CSB duplicates work done by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and that eliminating it would help shrink the federal government. However, Congress created the board in 1990 amid frustration that existing agencies were not adequately investigating major industrial chemical disasters.
Former CSB member Rick Engler said the board's small size belies its importance. Without it, preventative solutions may not be identified. The CSB has issued over 1,000 recommendations, many adopted by companies and regulators. It has also criticised the Trump administration's rollback of chemical safety regulations.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, has previously supported the CSB and voted for additional funding. The Trump administration has proposed eliminating the board multiple times, but Congress has rejected those attempts.
