In a letter sent to the nations governors Tuesday, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, asks states to review their own regulations on the storage and handling of ammonium nitrate, and urges them to adopt all available measures to ensure safer storage and handling of the chemical. Ammonium nitrate, widely used in fertilizer mixes, was the chemical responsible for the explosion in West, TX, that killed 15 and injured more than 160 last April.
"Chemical explosions can have tragic consequences, but best practices can prevent disasters,” Boxer says. “I urge you to review the applicable requirements in your state, and in the interests of saving lives, adopt policies that you believe will prevent loss of life while allowing the use of ammonium nitrate with appropriate protections or the use of alternatives."
Click here to read the full text, or visit www.epw.senate.gov to learn more about the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works.