All indications are that American Chemistry Council(ACC) member-company facilities have weathered Hurricanes Katrina and Rita without any significant product releases. ACC said the record is the result of a continuous process of safety and emergency response planning and training that is essential to today’s chemistry business.
Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama are home to numerous chemical facilities. Texas is the nation’s largest chemical-producing state and Louisiana is third, with Alabama and Mississippi ranked 20th and 27th, respectively.
Together the states produce some $115 billion in chemical products, employ approximately 115,000 workers in the industry, and support approximately 850,000 workers in related industries.
The availability of natural gas feedstocks, fuel and electrical power is critical to members’ recovery. Natural gas prices in the U.S. had set new record highs, even before the two recent storms, ACC pointed out.
The Energy Information Administration has estimated that natural gas prices for home heating could rise as much as 71 percent in some parts of the nation as a result of additional shortages this winter. The four affected states are crucial for the chemistry industry and all US industries that depend on the members' products.