SOCMA To Support Congress On Extension Of Security Rules

With the October deadline to re-authorize the DHS chemical plant security rules looming large, US House and Senate committees have approved budget provisions extending the rules for another year.

SOCMA has issued a statement supporting the one-year extension, rather than a full re-authorization, that includes government-mandated product substitution and civil suits. The congressional action ensures that the current chemical site security regulation, known as the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), can continue to be implemented by industry and enforced by the government.

While Congress could still override the one-year extension with the current re-authorization bill, passage of the appropriations extension has taken the steam out of the move started by the House Homeland Security Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee, to pass permanent CFATS legislation with controversial provisions this year. SOCMA continues to closely monitor the development of chemical security legislation.