EPA's Risk Management Rule

Background

New Jersey has been a leader in environmental regulation to protect the safety of its citizens. The thirteen-year old New Jersey Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act (TCPA) is substantially similar to the RMP Rule.

There are twelve companies in Bergen that fall under the TCPA. All of these companies have cooperative relationships with the municipal emergency services. These companies commonly train and practice with the local fire, police and ambulance -- all with community safety as the paramount goal.

The Rule

Risk Management is technically known as amendments to the Federal Clean Air Act Section 112r Part 68. This rule incorporates many of the safety provisions that have been in effect under the TCPA.

The Federal Risk Management Program will additionally require specific companies to:

• Develop a risk management plan and communicate that plan with the public

• Share information with the public regarding the company's safety record

• Develop and communicate a "worst case" scenario*

• Develop and communicate "alternate case scenario(s)**

  *Worst case scenarios are considered a release of the largest quantity of a regulated substance from a vessel or process line failure that results in the greatest distance to an endpoint.

  The worst case scenario does NOT take in to account any emergency actions. In the worst case scenario, company personnel, fire, police and ambulance do not respond, no alarms or warnings are sounded.

  ** Alternate case scenarios, by contrast, are releases with an offsite impact that are more likely to occur than worst-case releases and these consider both active and passive mitigation systems.

The companies in Bergen that are effected by this law have a history of safety in the community interest. The companies purify and distribute water, distribute milk, help the printing industry, help the pharmaceutical industry, process sewage among many other contributions.

These Bergen County companies have been the safest because of their community interest and the very high level of regulation that they adhere to.

To see a list of the companies within Bergen that fall under this rule, click here.