Yet another reminder that campaign contributions from special interests are warping decisions with grave implications, like whether to impose security regulations on the storage of deadly, toxic chemicals.
The Department of Homeland Security has decided that the government should not even trouble chemical plants to account for the storage of anything under 2,500 pounds of deadly chlorine.
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Chemical plants -- and petroleum plants, paper mills and other industrial facilities that use dangerous chemicals -- are one of the nation's greatest vulnerabilities. An attack on such a facility could create a deadly chemical cloud that would put hundreds of thousands of people in danger.
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The Bush administration has shown repeatedly, however, that it does not want to impose reasonable safety requirements on chemical plants. That may have to do with its general opposition to regulations, or it could be connected to the enormous amount of money the chemical industry spends on lobbying and campaign contributions.
How much is the industry willing to spend to make sure it can remain free of regulation? Oh, not too much....
In a recent study, Greenpeace reported that the chemical industry spent more money in a year lobbying to defeat strong chemical plant legislation than the Department of Homeland Security spent on chemical plant security.
Feel safer?
Don't worry, the chemical industry is spending hundreds of dollars in this hour alone, making sure that safety regulations for toxic chemical storage facilities are right up there on the priority list with developing a seedless grapefruit. You're in good hands!
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