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Senate to Consider Chemical Plant Security Rules
The U.S. Senate is set to consider new regulations that would require chemical plants to develop new security plans and submit them to the Homeland Security Department for review, the Associated Press reported Friday (see GSN, Sept. 7). Facilities could be closed if they failed to follow the proposed rules, according to a draft plan. There are 15,000 private chemical facilities in the United States, one-fifth of which are located near population centers. Chemical sites have been identified as potential targets for terrorists. The proposed rules would mandate security assessments at each plant, followed by improvements to cover any weaknesses. That could include adding security cameras or restricting access to particular locations, AP reported. Facilities would also have to develop or update emergency response plans. If a facility was to fail on multiple occasions to follow the rules, the Homeland Security secretary could “issue an order for the chemical source to cease operation,” the draft plan states. Homeland Security itself would create some security standards for plants, and place the facilities in tiers based on their danger levels to nearby residents. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) expects to soon deliver the final version of the regulation plan for consideration by her colleagues, AP reported. Chemical companies to date have not faced significant government regulation of their security efforts, according to AP. The American Chemistry Council, which represents 2,000 U.S. plants, backs the Senate plan, said security director Marty Durbin. The proposal would “make sure that those facilities that need to be taking actions here are doing so.” The plan would not require chemical plants to use materials that would pose less danger to people if released by an accident or terrorist strike, according to some environmentalists. “If there is no plan to address the underlying hazards posed by chemicals at these plants, the bill will not provide the protection the American people deserve,” said Andy Igrejas, environmental health program director at the National Environmental Trust (Lara Jakes Jordan, Associated Press/Baltimore Sun, Dec. 2).
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