The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday approved a three-year extension of regulations that enable the Department of Homeland Security to oversee compliance by high-risk chemical facilities with federal security standards.
The bi-partisan Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program bill (S. 473) creates a best practices clearinghouse and private sector advisory board at DHS to help implement the standards as well as a new voluntary technical assistance program to allow DHS, at the request of facility owners and operators, to provide recommendations or assistance to facilities to aid in standards compliance or reduce the risk of consequences of a terrorist attack.
The bill also calls for developing a voluntary exercise and training program to improve collaboration with the private sector and state and local communities.
Under CFATS, which began in 2007, DHS and the covered chemical facilities work collaboratively on a risk-based approach to bolstering the security of chemical facilities.
The CFATS bill was co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-Me.), the ranking member on the committee, Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.).