U.S. Chemical Safety Board

Short description: Independent U.S. federal agency

"USCSB" redirects here. For information security committee, see Committee on National Security Systems.

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

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|

* Steve Owens, Chair

Website| {{{1}}}

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]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Leadership
* 2.1 Chairs
* 2.2 Current members
* 3 Investigations
* 4 See also
* 5 Notes
* 6 External links

## 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]

Seal of the CSB (1998-2003)

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  | 70px  | Paul L. Hill, Jr.  | October 7, 1994  | January 12, 2000  | [13][14][15][16][17][18]
2  | 70px  | Carolyn W. Merritt  | August 2002  | August 2, 2007  | [19][20][21]
3  | 70px  | John S. Bresland  | March 14, 2008  | June 2010  | [22][23][24][25][26]
4  | 70px  | Rafael Moure-Eraso  | June 23, 2010  | March 26, 2015  | [27][28][29][30]
5  | 70px  | Vanessa Allen Sutherland  | August 2015  | June 2018  | [31][32][33]
6  | 70px  | Katherine A. Lemos  | April 23, 2020  | July 22, 2022  | [34][35][36]
7  | 70px  | 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  | 2022 (as member)
2023 (as chair)[39] | 2027
Member  | Sylvia E. Johnson | Democratic  | 2022[40] | 2027
Member  | Vacant | N/A  | —  |
Member  | Vacant | N/A  | —  |
Member  | Vacant | N/A  | —  |

## Investigations

File:DeepWaterHorizonUSCSB.webm 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

## See also

* Occupational Safety and Health Administration
* United States Environmental Protection Agency

## Notes

1. ↑ "Media Resources". U.S. Chemical Safety Board. Archived from the original on Jul 11, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170711182329/http://www.csb.gov/media-room/media-resources/.
2. ↑ "Mission - About the CSB". https://www.csb.gov/about-the-csb/mission/.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "History - About the CSB". https://www.csb.gov/about-the-csb/history/.
4. ↑ U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (n.d.). "Agency Roles and Responsibilities". p. 1. https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/csb_roles_and_responsibilities.pdf. "The CSB is a unique agency, modeled on the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. The CSB investigations identify the root causes of chemical incidents and share these findings broadly across industries to prevent future incidents."
5. ↑ "Oversight Committee Members Call on Chemical Safety Board Chairman to Resign". Mar 4, 2015. http://oversight.house.gov/release/oversight-committee-members-call-chemical-safety-board-chairman-resign/.
6. ↑ Trager, Rebecca (Mar 10, 2015). "US chemical safety board in turmoil". https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/us-chemical-safety-board-in-turmoil/8350.article.
7. ↑ Gunther, Matthew (Mar 31, 2015). "US Chemical Safety Board chairman resigns". https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/us-chemical-safety-board-chairman-resigns/8413.article.
8. ↑ "PN278 - Nomination of Vanessa Lorraine Allen Sutherland for Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 114th Congress (2015-2016)". 2015-08-05. https://www.congress.gov/nomination/114th-congress/278.
9. ↑ "Chemical Safety Board Chair Vanessa Sutherland announces resignation" (in en). National Safety Council. May 23, 2018. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17058-chemical-safety-board-chair-vanessa-sutherland-announces-resignation.
10. ↑ Jonathan Katz (2025-06-11). "Chemical Industry Pushes Back on Trump Plan to Axe Safety Watchdog". Chemical Processing. https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/safety-security/risk-assessment/news/55296583/chemical-industry-pushes-back-on-trump-plan-to-axe-safety-watchdog.
11. ↑ Trager, Rebecca (February 4, 2026). "Congress rescues Chemical Safety Board that was earmarked for closure by Trump administration". https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/congress-rescues-industry-watchdog-earmarked-for-closure-by-trump-administration/4022869.article.
12. ↑ 42 U.S.C. § 7412#r_6
13. ↑ "Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board". CSB. http://www.csb.gov/about/who.htm.
14. ↑ "PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES PAUL HILL AS CHAIR AND MEMBER OF THE CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD". The Clinton White House. August 5, 1999. https://clintonwhitehouse6.archives.gov/1999/08/1999-08-05-hill-named-to-chemical-safety-and-hazard-investigation-board.html.
15. ↑ "Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions on Regulatory and Other Collegial Boards and Commissions, 106th Congress". Congressional Research Service. March 21, 2001. p. 11. https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/20010321_RL30476_5e5dddedbd67e20b47184a39a9e7599c8b41d913.pdf.
16. ↑ "Paul Hill Resigns from Chemical Safety Board". October 18, 2000. https://www.ehstoday.com/archive/article/21910476/paul-hill-resigns-from-chemical-safety-board.
17. ↑ "Dr. Paul L. Hill, Jr. Resigns as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Intends to Remain as Board Member". CSB. January 13, 2000. http://csb.gov/news/2000/n000101.htm.
18. ↑ "Paul L. Hill, Jr., PH.D. Member, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board". CSB. http://www.csb.gov/about/ceo.htm.
19. ↑ Johnson, Jeff (August 13, 2007). "Chemical Safety Board Chief Retires". Chemical & Engineering News 85 (33). https://cen.acs.org/articles/85/i33/Chemical-Safety-Board-Chief-Retires.html.
20. ↑ "Carolyn Merritt, Chairman / CEO". CSB. http://csb.gov/about/merritt.htm.
21. ↑ "CSB Chairman and Board Members". CSB. http://csb.gov/about/who.htm.
22. ↑ "The Honorable John S. Bresland". CSB. http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=board_members&page=board&member=Bresland.
23. ↑ "CSB Board Members". CSB. http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=Board_Members&page=index.
24. ↑ "John S. Bresland". CSB. https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/csb_leadership_team_bios_22_bresland.pdf.
25. ↑ Johnson, Jeff (April 7, 2008). "New Chief At CSB". Chemical & Engineering News 86 (14). https://cen.acs.org/articles/86/i14/New-Chief-CSB.html.
26. ↑ "CSB Board Member John Bresland to Retire on August 31". CSB. August 2, 2012. https://www.csb.gov/csb-board-member-john-bresland-to-retire-on-august-31/.
27. ↑ "Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso Confirmed as New Chairman and Mark Griffon as Board Member". CSB. June 25, 2010. https://www.csb.gov/dr-rafael-moure-eraso-confirmed-as-new-chairman-and-mark-griffon-as-board-member/.
28. ↑ "Rafael Moure-Eraso". CSB. https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/csb_leadership_team_bios_22_eraso.pdf.
29. ↑ "Head of U.S. Chemical Safety Board resigns: White House official". Reuters. March 26, 2015. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us-politics/head-of-us-chemical-safety-board-resigns-white-house-official-idUSKBN0MM315/.
30. ↑ "The Honorable Rafael Moure-Eraso". CSB. http://www.csb.gov/about/boardmember.aspx.
31. ↑ "Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland". CSB. http://www.csb.gov/about-the-csb/board-members/cha/.
32. ↑ "Statement from Presidentially Appointed and Senate Confirmed Chemical Safety Board Chairperson Vanessa Sutherland". CSB. August 24, 2015. https://www.csb.gov/statement-from-presidentially-appointed-and-senate-confirmed-chemical-safety-board-chairperson-vanessa-sutherland/.
33. ↑ Johnson, Jeff (May 22, 2018). "Chemical Safety Board chair to resign". Chemical & Engineering News. https://cen.acs.org/safety/industrial-safety/Chemical-Safety-Board-chair-resign/96/web/2018/05.
34. ↑ "Chairman and CEO Katherine A. Lemos, Ph.D.". CSB. https://www.csb.gov/about-us/board-memberschairman-dr-lemos-/.
35. ↑ "Senate Confirms Dr. Katherine Lemos to Chair of the Chemical Safety Board". CSB. March 24, 2020. https://www.csb.gov/statement-from-board-member-dr-kristen-kulinowski-as-senate-confirms-dr-katherine-lemos-to-chair-of-the-chemical-safety-board-/.
36. ↑ "Report of Investigation: Katherine A. Lemos, Former Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board". EPA Office of the Inspector General. June 28, 2023. https://www.epaoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2023-08/_epaoig_20230628-23-n-0020_redacted.pdf.
37. ↑ "Chairperson Steve Owens". CSB. https://www.csb.gov/members/board-member-steve-owens-/.
38. ↑ "Board Members". U.S. Chemical Safety Board. https://www.csb.gov/about-the-csb/board-members/.
39. ↑ "Chairperson Steve Owens". U.S. Chemical Safety Board. https://www.csb.gov/members/board-member-steve-owens-/.
40. ↑ "Board Member Sylvia E. Johnson, Ph.D.". U.S. Chemical Safety Board. https://www.csb.gov/members/board-member-sylvia-e-johnson-phd/.
41. ↑ "Silent Killer: Hydrogen Sulfide Release in Odessa, Texas". USCSB. 29 July 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh2HWT8gPeY.
42. ↑ "Updated BP Texas City Animation on the 15th Anniversary of the Explosion". USCSB. 23 March 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goSEyGNfiPM.
43. ↑ "USCSB". https://www.youtube.com/@USCSB.
44. ↑ Sanders, Roy E. (2015). Chemical Process Safety: Learning from Case Histories (4th ed.). Kidlington, England and Waltham, Mass.: Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 420–421. ISBN 978-0-12-801425-7.
45. ↑ "Chevron Richmond Refinery Fire". https://www.csb.gov/chevron-richmond-refinery-fire/.
46. ↑ "West Fertilizer Explosion and Fire". https://www.csb.gov/west-fertilizer-explosion-and-fire-/.
47. ↑ "FCC Unit Explosion and Asphalt Fire at Husky Superior Refinery - No. 2018-02-I-WI". U.S. Chemical Safety Board: 195. December 23, 2022. https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/husky_superior_refinery_report_2022-12-23_(1).pdf.

## External links

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* U.S. Chemical Safety Board's channel on YouTube

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