U.S. Chemical Safety Board
Independent U.S. federal agency
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (USCSB), generally referred to[1] as the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), is an independent U.S. federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the United States Senate. The CSB conducts root cause investigations of chemical accidents at fixed industrial facilities.[2]
- Steve Owens, Chair
Seal | |
 Logo | |
Flag of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 1998 |
| Jurisdiction | United States federal government |
| Headquarters | 1751 Pennsylvania Ave N.W., Washington, D.C. |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | www |
History
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) was authorized by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and became operational in January 1998. According to the Senate legislative history, the board’s main role is to investigate chemical accidents, determine their causes, and help prevent similar incidents. Congress gave the CSB an independent mandate, specifying that no other agency or executive branch official may direct its activities.[3]
Following the successful model of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Department of Transportation, Congress directed that the CSB's investigative function be completely independent of the rulemaking, inspection, and enforcement authorities of the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Congress recognized that board investigations would identify chemical hazards that were not addressed by those agencies.[3] Also similarly to the NTSB, the CSB performs "investigations [that] identify the root causes of chemical incidents and share these findings broadly across industries to prevent future incidents."[4]
Following criticism from lawmakers and allegations of mismanagement, the former chairman of the CSB, Rafael Moure-Eraso, resigned in March 2015.[5][6][7] He was replaced by Vanessa Allen Sutherland in August 2015.[8] Sutherland resigned with two years left in her five-year term after the Trump administration proposed shutting down the CSB as part of the 2019 United States federal budget which ultimately would not occur.[9]
In 2025, President Donald Trump announced plans to defund and close the CSB by 2026,[10] citing overlapping capabilities of the EPA and OSHA, but was rebuffed by Congress passing additional agency funding following a government shutdown.[11]
Leadership
The board consists of five members who are appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The terms of office are five years. The president designates one of the members as chairperson, again with the advice and consent of the Senate. The chairperson is the chief executive officer of the board, and exercises the executive and administrative functions of the board.[12]
Chairs
| No. | Portrait | Director | Took office | Left office | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Paul L. Hill, Jr. | October 7, 1994 | January 12, 2000 | [13][14][15][16][17][18] |
| 2 |  |
Carolyn W. Merritt | August 2002 | August 2, 2007 | [19][20][21] |
| 3 |  |
John S. Bresland | March 14, 2008 | June 2010 | [22][23][24][25][26] |
| 4 |  |
Rafael Moure-Eraso | June 23, 2010 | March 26, 2015 | [27][28][29][30] |
| 5 |  |
Vanessa Allen Sutherland | August 2015 | June 2018 | [31][32][33] |
| 6 |  |
Katherine A. Lemos | April 23, 2020 | July 22, 2022 | [34][35][36] |
| 7 |  |
Steve Owens | January 5, 2023 | present | [37] |
Current members
The current board members as of July 31, 2025[update]:[38]
| Position | Name | Party | Took office | Term expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Steve Owens | Democratic | February 3, 2022 (as member) January 5, 2023 (as chair)[39] |
February 3, 2027 |
| Member | Sylvia E. Johnson | Democratic | February 3, 2022[40] | February 3, 2027 |
| Member | Vacant | N/a | — | |
| Member | Vacant | N/a | — | |
| Member | Vacant | N/a | — |
Investigations
Since its establishment in 1998, the CSB has investigated many major industrial chemical accidents in the United States. The agency is known for its detailed technical analyses of incidents and for its transparent communication practices. These often include in-depth reconstructions of events, root cause analyses, and safety recommendations. Unusually for a government agency, the CSB frequently produces video reports featuring narrated explanations and high-quality computer animations. Their videos are narrated by Sheldon Smith.[41][42]
The agency publishes its videos on a public YouTube channel, which as of December 2025[ref] has over 400,000 subscribers.[43] The CSB's videos have been lauded for their quality, with experts encouraging their use in teaching process safety fundamentals.[44]
USCSB's notable investigations include:
- Texas City refinery explosion, March 2005
- Xcel Energy Cabin Creek Hydroelectric Plant Fire, October 2007
- Port Wentworth Imperial Sugar plant explosion, February 2008
- Deepwater Horizon explosion, 2010
- Chevron Refinery fire, August 6, 2012[45]
- West, TX, Fertilizer Fire and Explosion, April 17, 2013[46]
- Husky Superior Refinery Explosion and Fire, April 26, 2018[47]
- Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery explosion, June 21, 2019
