To the editor: The large risk to Orange County from the Backyard Grove chemical plant is in keeping with western Riverside County’s August 2022 near-explosion of a 69-ton rail tank automobile full of one other insidious self-overheating plastics chemical known as styrene (“Garden Grove’s chemical crisis: Thousands flee as conditions worsen at damaged tank,” Might 23).
That was no one-off. One other such styrene rail automobile incident adopted close to Cincinnati in September 2024.
Right here in Riverside County, close by properties and faculties have been evacuated. The 215 Freeway and Metrolink’s Perris Line shut down. Poisonous smoke drifted over March Air Reserve Base’s takeoff runway. Adjoining owners ran outdoors gagging. And proper subsequent to the place that tank automobile was parked, the identical rail line delivers poisonous chlorine used to deal with Colorado River Aqueduct water flowing under into Lake Mathews.
Public security calls for ongoing prevention of such excessive hazards, not apologetic responses. Hearth and different public businesses should know what they’re going through and be educated and geared up.
Stock and prioritize the threats now. Demand funding from chemical producers and railroads. Shut down or purchase out the worst websites. These poisonous sources should be first on any listing of “blight” for redevelopment. Cease “grandfathering” harmful new chemical substances on previous industrial websites.
Bob Buster, Riverside
This author is a former supervisor of Riverside County.
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To the editor: I’m hopeful that, as I write this, GKN Aerospace and the responding emergency companies can include the hazard posed by this case. GKN ought to pay the total freight for bills associated to this occasion.
I feel individuals are fairly rattling bored with having personal firms destroy the environment of their pursuit of earnings and, when they’re completed, taxpayer funds find yourself getting used to wash up their mess.
David Gene Echt, Torrance
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To the editor: These questions should be answered: How have been tanks of poisonous and explosive chemical substances and residential neighborhoods allowed to be in such shut proximity? What zoning, hearth and well being codes allowed this? What’s the legal responsibility of the affected cities and county for permitting it?
David E. Ross, Oak Park
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To the editor: A single unstable chemical tank raises the query, “Why is that this even potential in a residential space of Orange County?”
Ask as a substitute, “Why is it potential to host 3.6 million pounds of eternally deadly nuclear gas poison on the seashore at San Onofre in stainless cans lower than an inch thick, only 100 feet from the tide mark and a few feet above the water desk?”
California’s Meeting and Senate will vote on Assembly Bill 2647, which bypasses the 50-year moratorium on new nuclear power till a legitimate decision to retailer nuclear gas could be developed — but it has by no means been resolved within the 50 years since. They are going to vote on foyer propaganda in dressed-up and failed previous expertise for the estimated earnings of the company nuclear utility sector.
Public consciousness of how irresponsible company revenue actions threaten public lives on all facets of American life is essential, particularly on this period of deregulation and company possession of governmental, administrative, oversight and judicial processes within the USA.
Ronald Rodarte, San Clemente
