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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 03:20 PM Apr 2013

Sen. Boxer To Hold Hearing On West, Texas Chemical Explosion

Source: TPM



IGOR BOBIC 3:05 PM EDT, TUESDAY APRIL 30, 2013

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, announced Tuesday that she plans to schedule a hearing in hopes of investigating safety lapses at a West, Texas fertilizer plant, after a massive April 17 explosion killed 15 people and injured hundreds of others.

“I cannot rest until we get to the bottom of what caused the disaster in West, Texas and the tragic loss of life," Boxer said in a statement. "It is critical that we find out how this happened. We must ensure that facilities like the one in West are complying with chemical safety laws. We will look at how the laws on the books are being enforced and whether there is a need to strengthen them."

The facility reportedly failed to disclose a massive amount of ammonium nitrate -- 1,350 times the maximum limit -- that is ordinarily regulated by federal officials.

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Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/sen-boxer-to-hold-hearing-on-west-texas

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Sen. Boxer To Hold Hearing On West, Texas Chemical Explosion (Original Post) DonViejo Apr 2013 OP
... and if the trail leads back to 'states rights' & Perry's "we don't need no stinkin' regulations" Myrina Apr 2013 #1
Ok, good intentions. How can the Senate, while gathered in a room in DC ... Buzz Clik Apr 2013 #2
Too Bad there are no TX Senators on the Committee - Cruz Won't be able to Embarrass Himself dballance Apr 2013 #3
Why Have There Been No Criminal Arrests? DallasNE Apr 2013 #4
Karma PuffedMica Apr 2013 #5
Thank you, Barbara Boxer. JDPriestly Apr 2013 #6
Indictments in 4 days lobodons Apr 2013 #7
My gosh, we need to emulate Bangladesh. tblue May 2013 #8

Myrina

(12,296 posts)
1. ... and if the trail leads back to 'states rights' & Perry's "we don't need no stinkin' regulations"
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 03:22 PM
Apr 2013

???


Then what?

Yeah, not holding my breath.

 

Buzz Clik

(38,437 posts)
2. Ok, good intentions. How can the Senate, while gathered in a room in DC ...
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 03:37 PM
Apr 2013

... make more headway than the investigators on the ground in West, particularly considering they have not completed the investigation?

sigh.

 

dballance

(5,756 posts)
3. Too Bad there are no TX Senators on the Committee - Cruz Won't be able to Embarrass Himself
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 03:54 PM
Apr 2013

I don't know what the rules are for Senators who are not on a committee participating in a hearing. I'm sure if there is a way Cruz thinks he can make political bank off this he'll try. I don't think he's smart enough to keep his mouth shut and stay out of the fray.

DallasNE

(7,392 posts)
4. Why Have There Been No Criminal Arrests?
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 05:15 PM
Apr 2013

The failure to disclose 270 tons of ammonium nitrate resulted in 12 firefighters marching blindly to their deaths. Had that information been disclosed as required by law the efforts of those firefighters would have been to evacuate the area rather than fighting a hopeless blaze. in my book this amounts to manslaughter.

PuffedMica

(1,061 posts)
5. Karma
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 06:28 PM
Apr 2013

First Rick Perry comes to California talking trash about getting businesses to move to Texas.
Then there is a major malfunction in a Texas chemical plant and 15 people die.
Now California Senator Barbara Boxer is going to read Perry and Texas the riot act.
I cannot wait for the Honorable Senator to kick Perry in the AZZ and dress those inarticulate rural conservatives in Texas down to size.

I hope she gets in a comment about plants in California do not blow up and kill people because California is civilized and properly regulates its industry.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
6. Thank you, Barbara Boxer.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 06:30 PM
Apr 2013

This was a rare event. But it needs to be investigated and understood so that similar events do not happen in the future.

 

lobodons

(1,290 posts)
7. Indictments in 4 days
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 06:40 PM
Apr 2013

Meanwhile in Bangladesh, it only took them 4 days to hand down indictments to negligent Plant officers.

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