Washington, DC, August 16, 2004 - Rixio Medina, a former oil industry executive whom President Bush appointed to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) in December 2003, will resign his seat effective August 23, the Board announced today.

CSB Chairman Carolyn W. Merritt stated, "Naturally we are disappointed to lose someone of Mr. Medina's intellect, energy, and stature in the safety community. His enthusiasm, humor, and warmth will be greatly missed. But the positive news is that what Mr. Medina has helped to create here will certainly endure." Mr. Medina has developed procedures to expedite and improve CSB investigations, promoted the adoption of safety recommendations, and established an outreach program for the Hispanic community, Ms. Merritt said.

"A native Spanish speaker himself, Mr. Medina has had a strong empathy for Hispanic workers who take on some of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in the petrochemical industry," Ms. Merritt said. "We are committed to continuing Mr. Medina's successful efforts to establish a Spanish language web site for the CSB and to get our products translated into Spanish and disseminated to Hispanic audiences."

Mr. Medina, who transmitted his resignation to the president earlier today, said, "My tenure as a board member has only strengthened my commitment to the life-saving mission of the Chemical Safety Board. While my own career is taking me back into private industry, I intend to continue advocating the growth and sustenance of this unique and essential agency."

Mr. Medina said he plans to rejoin his former employer, CITGO Petroleum, as Vice President of Health, Safety, Security of Assets, and Environmental Protection. With President Bush's recent appointment of Gary L. Visscher to the Board, total membership in the five-member body will remain at four. Mr. Visscher is expected to be sworn into office on August 23.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in safety management systems. The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies. Further information about the CSB is available from www.csb.gov.

For more information, contact Daniel Horowitz at 202-261-7613 / 202-441-6074 (cell).