Trump to Close Agency That Investigated State’s Refinery Explosion

Four years after an explosion at Wisconsin’s only oil refinery, federal investigators found a lack of safeguards during a maintenance shutdown led to a 2018 blast that injured three dozen workers and prompted a temporary evacuation of Superior residents.

Now, the board that did that investigation is slated for elimination under Republican President Donald Trump’s proposed 2026 budget.

In its budget request, the White House said the U.S. Chemical Safety Board generates “unprompted studies” and duplicates the work of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Trump repeatedly proposed nixing the agency in his first term. Decades prior, the board’s creation was almost thwarted under Democratic President Bill Clinton in an effort to streamline the federal government. But more recently, even industry groups have opposed its elimination, as have public health and environmental groups.

With cuts to agencies under Trump, Superior Mayor Jim Paine said communities like his need more investigations and more accountability.

“If the CSB had been better funded 10 or 15 years ago, they might have been better able to educate the refinery in Superior about how to prevent the explosion that ended up happening in 2018,” Paine said. “Had that explosion been prevented, not only would people not have been hurt, but the refinery could have saved millions and millions of dollars in that rebuild. These agencies are good for industry.”

The board has about 50 staff members and a budget of roughly $14.4 million. In the last five years, nearly 500 serious chemical incidents have occurred in 43 states. In a June 24 letter, more than two dozen Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives urged Trump to reverse his calls to close the agency.

Former board member, safety advocates oppose the move

Former board member Rick Engler, who served under President Barack Obama, visited Superior after the refinery explosion. He called Trump’s proposal a “draconian” move and likened the board’s role to the National Transportation Safety Board in that it examines the underlying cause of incidents to prevent future accidents.

“Many parts of industry, and particularly the safety and health professionals within the oil and chemical industries, recognize the value of the CSB in making recommendations and looking at the underlying causes,” Engler said.

Scott Jensen, a spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council, said in an email that the industry trade group appreciates Trump’s efforts to ensure taxpayer money is being spent wisely.

“We value the work of the CSB and want to see it continue, and we will continue to engage with the White House and Congress, so they understand we support the CSB,” Jensen wrote.

The board suffered from a staff shortage during Trump’s first term that contributed to a backlog of investigations that was resolved in late 2023. While not required, Engler said many companies adopt the board’s recommendations. The CSB website states 87 percent of its 1,019 recommendations are closed, meaning industry has typically addressed necessary changes.

Cenovus Energy, which owns the Superior refinery, has adopted 9 of the 10 recommendations targeted toward the company and its facility. It must still address certain actions during its next maintenance shutdown in regard to a mechanical integrity program for a key valve that failed, contributing to the explosion. The refinery didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Engler noted closure of recommendations doesn’t necessarily mean safety changes, but he said it’s clear such changes that are adopted lead to safer workplaces and communities around these facilities.

Jordan Barab, a former deputy assistant secretary of OSHA under Obama, said the proposed elimination comes as Trump also plans cuts to OSHA that include reductions for setting standards and slashing the number of inspections by 28 percent from the last fiscal year.

Barab disputed the administration’s claims that CSB duplicates work of agencies, such as OSHA, that issue fines or regulations, noting the board can examine factors beyond violations. That includes evaluating factors like worker fatigue, management’s safety culture and unclear procedures.

“These are all things that neither OSHA nor EPA does,” Barab said.

Henry Anderson, a former state environmental and occupational disease epidemiologist, said states might lack the sophisticated staff or finances to conduct incident investigations on their own.

“If the safety precautions that they normally recommend aren’t made, then that’s [an] opportunity for continuing more outbreaks of severe injury and illness to workers,” Anderson said.

The board’s supporters say taxpayers get a lot for their money.

“If even one major incident is prevented … the CSB investment is well worth it,” Engler said.

Listen to the WPR report

Agency that investigated the Superior refinery explosion faces elimination under Trump was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.