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This bill would prohibit petroleum refineries from using hydrofluoric acid, a highly toxic chemical currently used at approximately 40 U.S. refineries to produce high-octane gasoline. The legislation would immediately ban new refineries from using the chemical and give existing refineries five years to switch to safer alternative technologies that are already commercially available and used at most U.S. refineries. The bill targets this change because a large release of hydrofluoric acid could cause a mass casualty event affecting thousands of people within a 25-mile radius, and more than 14 million Americans live in communities near refineries using this chemical, with many of these communities facing disproportionate environmental risks. Violating the prohibition would result in civil penalties of $37,500 per violation, and the Environmental Protection Agency would not be allowed to grant waivers exempting refineries from this requirement. The bill was introduced in December 2024 by a bipartisan group of House members and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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