Work on proposals to strengthen chemical facility security policies could pick up steam in the new year, as the Obama Administration and congressional leaders plan to target the issue in the coming months.
In late December the Chemical Facility Safety and Security Working Group – which was created by an executive order issued by President Obama last summer – issued a status report citing several “positive steps” it has taken to improve chemical facility safety and security, such as “coordinating operations and sharing information” among federal, state and local agencies with facility oversight responsibilities. The working group also promised to consider additional regulatory options to strengthen chemical facility security, such as through existing authorities under EPA’s Risk Management Program, OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard and DHS’ Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.
Meanwhile, House Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus (R-Ill.) told a reporter last month that his panel will consider a CFATS reauthorization bill in 2014, saying a long-term extension of the program is “an important thing to do.”
Chairman Shimkus did not detail what his CFATS reauthorization bill may look like, though he did pledge to exclude any “inherently safer technology” (IST) mandates from the legislation. The bill is also likely to continue the exemption of water and wastewater facilities from CFATS, consistent with legislation previously considered by the Environment and the Economy Subcommittee.
CFATS was originally scheduled to expire in 2009, but Congress has kept the program operational since then through a series of short-term reauthorizations. The next extension is due by January 15, and lawmakers are expected to include this within the next government funding bill.