Congressional Aides Warn Permanent Site Security Unlikely This Year

Staff from the US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee warned summit attendees that legislation to make permanent chemical site security rules was unlikely to pass this year because of congressional schedules. The warning was passed during a panel discussion at the 2009 Chemical Sector Security Summit.

According to the staff, while Congress generally agrees that the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Statues (CFATS) should continue, it disagrees about which provisions should be included in the permanent version.

The panelists expect that debates over provisions for mandatory IST, ammonium nitrate exceptions, employee involvement and civil litigation will force the process to extend beyond the October sunset of the regulation. The process is currently still in House committee.

The speakers have predicted that some extension of the current regulation will be made until Congress can address the legislation thoroughly at a later date.