Worst case scenario meetings and a comment

["Michael R. Meuser" <meuser@mapcruzin.com>]

HI - I see that there are three meetings scheduled on Wednesday in Contra 
Costa County when industry will disclose their "worst case scenarios."  I'm 
wondering if anyone has an idea if one of these is the "main" one, the more 
important one to attend or perhaps it makes no difference?

I also have a comment or two about worst case scenarios.  The chemical 
industry and congress have worked like the devil to keep the worst case 
scenarios off of the internet.  Now the whitehouse has drafted a bill limiting 
distribution of the information.  They all say their reason is that this 
information, if placed on the internet, would turn these facilities into targets 
for terrorism.  This makes little sense for several reasons.

(1) There is plenty of information already available on the internet or 
elsewhere that terrorists could use to target any sort of facility in the U.S. 
they like.  The information terrorists need is already there.
(2) Some worst case scenarios are already on the internet.  RTK net has
had maps of Dupont facilities in several states for over a year (url below).  
Not one has been targeted by a terrorist.  Augusta, GA maps have been on 
the internet since October, 1997 (url below).  Again, amazingly, not one 
single terrorist attack! Yet there are maps on the internet showing the exact 
location of the facilities, type of chemicals, and the location and number of 
citizens killed outright for several major facilties in the area.
(3) Denny (oilrefine-act@igc.org) asks if there have ever been any terrorist 
attacks on RMP reporting facilities?  The answer is NO, to my knowledge.  
But, the US Chemical Safety Board says that hundreds die in chemical-
related accidents in the U.S. every year.  This is reason enough to tell 
communities via any means possible, including the internet, about the 
potential threats they face.
(4) If facilities that must report their worst case scenarios ARE viable targets 
for terrorism then it makes most sense and is even a GREATER reason that 
EPA, Congress, the Whitehouse, and Industry take agressive steps to tell 
us, through any and all available means including the internet, what these 
threats are since a terrorist attack has the potential of increasing the number 
killed in chemical-related accidents each year.  It seems criminal to do 
anything less.

Augusta, GA worst case scenario story and maps:
http://www.augustachronicle.com/stories/101097/met_risk_maps.html

RTK Net dupont facility worst case scenario data and maps:
http://www.rtk.net/wcs/

links to other RMP related info on the internet check:
http://www.mapcruzin.com/scruztri/docs/cep02011.htm

Mike

http://www.mapcruzin.com/
For Right-to-Know News, 
free GIS, maps and data,
Community Mapping Resources

Michael R. Meuser
Clary-Meuser Research Associates
GIS and WWW Mapping Application Development
Mapping for Community Right-To-Know
"making data make sense"
meuser@mapcruzin.com