## Jlil10, 2007 

# CSB CHAIRMAN MERRITT DESCRIBES THE LESSONS FROM FIVE YEARS OF BOARD INVESTIGATIONS TO SENATE COMMITTEE, URGES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND CLEARER AUTHORITIES FOR FEDERAL SAFETY EFFORTS

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### 1121111312015 CSB**Chtinna~** Merritt Describes the Lessons 

### tom Five**Ye~n** r:l Board Investigations ID 

### SeniiiB Commitllle, Urges Additional Resaroes ald Cl....,. •.• CSB's other lnvesUgatfons reveal a variety of common flndlngs, Ms. Merritt said. "I have been grea1fy concerned by the Jack ofchemical emergency preparedness that our Investigations have found among many communities where accidents strike. Preventing accidents and mitigating their impact requires an active partnership between communities and industrial facilities. Ifthat partnership is missing the stage is set for a potentially severe impact on the community."

Chairman Merritt also urged the Committee to compare the CSB's existing statutory authorities with those ofthe older and more established National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). She pointed specifically

### to the authorities 

### to preserve and test evidence, rapidly access the sites of chemical releases, and receive relevant records and information from other agencies.

Ms. Merritt told lawmakers that the CSB has accomplished a tripling in productivity on an annual budgetthat essentially remained flatfor the entire five-year period and urged the Committee to consider a multi-year authorizations bill establishing funding targets and priorities for the Board. Chairman Merritt's testimony today will be the last in herfive year tenure as Chairman and CEO ofthe Board. She said, "There is great admiration for what Congress has done in establishing an independent Chemical Safety Board. It is a very solid model that is in place in this country, but some changes and improvements are needed. I welcome the renewed attention and interest of Congress in these issues overthe past several years, culminating in the hearing today."

The CSB is an independentfederal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed bythe president and confirmed bythe Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.

The Board does not issue citations orfines but does make safety recommendations 

### to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.

For more information, please contact JenniferJones at (202) 261-3603 or Daniel Horowitz at {202) 261-7613.

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