H.R. 7384

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7384 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7384

To amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit the use of 
hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) at petroleum refineries, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 4, 2026

Ms. Waters (for herself, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Garcia of 
California, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Cohen) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit the use of 
hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) at petroleum refineries, and for 
other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Preventing Mass Casualties from 
Release of Hydrofluoric Acid at Refineries Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) is an 
exceptionally hazardous chemical, which is used in large 
quantities in approximately 40 petroleum refineries in the 
United States to refine petroleum in order to produce high 
octane gasoline.
(2) Petroleum refineries are vulnerable to accidents, 
natural disasters, and intentional subversive acts, which could 
result in the release of a large quantity of hydrogen fluoride 
(hydrofluoric acid).
(3) The release of a sufficient quantity of hydrogen 
fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) from a petroleum refinery has in 
the past, and could in the future, caused immediate injuries or 
deaths to refinery workers who are exposed.
(4) The release of a sufficient quantity of hydrogen 
fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) from a petroleum refinery could 
cause a mass casualty event in the surrounding community, 
resulting in immediate deaths or permanent injuries to 
thousands of people living, working, or traveling within a 
radius of up to 25 miles.
(5) More than 14 million people are at risk of death or 
permanent injuries as a result of living in communities 
surrounding petroleum refineries that use hydrogen fluoride 
(hydrofluoric acid), and many of these at-risk communities are 
disproportionately impacted by environmental burdens.
(6) Alternative technologies are available that would 
enable petroleum refineries to convert from the use of hydrogen 
fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) to a vastly safer, commercially 
proven alternative method for refining petroleum to produce 
high octane gasoline, and these alternative technologies are 
already used in the majority of refineries in the United 
States.
(7) New petroleum refineries should not be allowed to use 
hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) to refine petroleum, and 
petroleum refineries that currently use hydrogen fluoride 
(hydrofluoric acid) should be required to convert to a safer 
alternative.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON USE OF HYDROFLUORIC ACID AT PETROLEUM 
REFINERIES.

Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2605) is 
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (k); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following:
``(j) Prohibition on Use of Hydrofluoric Acid at Petroleum 
Refineries.--
``(1) New refineries.--No person may use hydrogen fluoride 
(hydrofluoric acid) to refine petroleum at a petroleum refinery 
that begins operating on or after the date of enactment of this 
subsection.
``(2) Existing refineries.--
``(A) Prohibition.--Beginning on the date that is 5 
years after the date of enactment of this subsection, 
no person may use hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) 
to refine petroleum at a petroleum refinery that began 
operating before the date of enactment of this 
subsection.
``(B) Civil penalty.--Notwithstanding the first 
sentence of section 16(a)(1), the amount of a civil 
penalty under such first sentence for violating a 
provision of section 15 with respect to a requirement 
of this paragraph shall be $37,500 for each such 
violation.
``(3) Application of waiver authority.--Notwithstanding 
section 22, the Administrator may not issue a waiver under such 
section with respect to the prohibition on the use of hydrogen 
fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) at a petroleum refinery under this 
subsection.''.
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