Department Of Homeland Security
To Enforce New Chemical Security Legislation

Through the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, Congress has given the Department of Homeland Security the authority to set security standards for the nations most critical chemical plants. It gives the DHS the authority to audit, inspect and shut down facilities that are not complying with set security standards.

The bill contains language that suggests the seriousness of the legislation, charging DHS with producing these regulations within the next six months. It is estimated that the rule will affect over 3,400 facilities.

Since his appointment as Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff has continued to advocate the passage of an overarching Chemical Security bill aimed at the prevention of malevolent acts in the nation’s vast private chemical industry. With Chertoff’s continuing support and increasing pressure from the White House, the legislation is now being passed through a Domestic Security Spending Bill.

The overwhelming support for chemical security legislation is a direct result of the impending midterm elections and heightened security posture from both publicized and undoubtedly classified Intel. This new political environment has eroded the Republican Party’s longstanding support of the Chemical Industry and has forced them to take the challenge of amending a complicated bill behind closed doors.

The Democratic Party has further complicated the passage of legislation by insisting upon the inclusion of mandated inherently safer technologies. This would require the companies themselves to bear the financial burden of replacing dangerous chemicals and processes with safer methods regardless of price. Republicans have remained steadfast on this issue and federal preemption. These two conflicts have delayed the passage of adequate legislation for almost three years but in the final term of the members of Congress, it has passed.

On Friday September 29th 2006, Congress passed legislation placing the authority of supervising and enforcing the security at our nation’s top chemical plants in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security. The language used to secure these “high-risk” facilities is similar to that of the Maritime Transportation Security Act and refer to corporate action in terms of increased fences or other barriers, cameras, ID verification and screening solutions.

The Department of Homeland Security has been directed to expedite the process. In their own best interest, the effected facilities should act preemptively to ensure their sites are hardened to meet the standards for regulatory compliance prior to punitive government intervention.

Contact an Infrastruct Security, Inc. Expert to learn how we can help guide you through these impending regulations:

• Consulting for Security Audits & Regulatory Compliance
• SVA Security Vulnerability Assessments in cooperation with TEEX
• Contact a Consultant