The Pallone-Solis Toxic Right-To-Know amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill would prevent the EPA from dismantling the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The TRI program is the only comprehensive resource on the location and disposal of toxic chemicals in the United States. As previously reported by BushGreenwatch, EPA's proposed changes would drastically reduce the toxic chemical information available, leaving communities across America in the dark on dangerous toxic chemicals.

Facilities are currently required to report releases and disposals of toxic chemicals every year. EPA's plans would drastically cut the TRI reporting requirements by raising the reporting threshold for most chemicals 10 fold from 500 pounds to 5,000 pounds. If the rule goes into effect, 1 out of 10 communities will lose all numerical data on toxic chemicals in their neighborhoods. EPA is also considering modifying the frequency from annual to bi-annual, leaving an off-year every two years during which companies will not have to report the storage, release, or disposal of any toxic chemicals to TRI.

Being introduced by Reps. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Hilda Solis (D-CA), the Toxic Right-to-Know amendment would prevent the EPA from spending money on implementing rules that would change the reporting frequency and increase the reporting threshold beyond 500 pounds. The amendment would essentially shut down EPA's ability to work on the proposed changes, at least until the next budget cycle.

TRI is used by stakeholders across the country to monitor the storage, release, transfer and disposal of toxic chemicals. First responders use TRI to plan for emergencies and disasters. Alan Finkelstein, the deputy fire marshal for Cuyahoga County, stated at a TRI Senate briefing in April, "I want as much information about a facility as possible, so the necessary precautions can be taken when entering into a hazardous situation in the event of a chemical release."

Public health officials rely on TRI in their research on environmental cancers, Parkinson's disease, respiratory diseases and other ailments associated with chemical exposures. Michael Harbut, M.D. of the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI, stated at a House TRI briefing in April that, "As a physician, as a researcher, and as a parent, I implore [the EPA] to consider before acting the impact of reducing the reporting requirements on the release of poisonous carcinogens into the atmosphere."

The TRI program uses the pressures of transparency and accountability to reduce toxic pollution, while providing vital information to avert life-threatening situations. In the last 5 years, annual toxic pollution dropped more than 2.8 billion pounds.

The public comment period on the EPA's proposed changes ended this past January. Government officials from 23 states submitted comments opposing the changes, and, in total, over 113,000 comments were submitted, with less than sixty supporting the EPA's changes.

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