Bills Would Impose Tougher Chemical Security Rules

By Douglas P. Guarino Jan. 25, 2013

Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON – Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) has introduced a pair of bills that would impose tougher security requirements on chemical and water facilities that use hazardous substances.

One of the two measures that Lautenberg introduced on Wednesday would impose additional requirements on industry through the Homeland Security Department’s 6-year-old Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards. The other would authorize the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate security at water facilities that use dangerous chemicals – an area that is exempt from Homeland Security’s CFATS program.

The two bills appear aimed at addressing the concerns of some Democrats – along with labor and environmental groups – that the CFATS program in its current form does not sufficiently shield industrial facilities from terrorist attacks that could release lethal materials into the surrounding area. In a press release, Lautenberg cited a report environmental groups released on Tuesday suggesting that 12,440 facilities throughout the country could harm people if damaged during a terrorist attack. The report cites EPA data on wastewater treatment plants, refineries and other facilities that use hazardous chemicals.  To Read More......