Chemical Industry Marks Major CFATS Milestone with 750th Site Security Plan Approval

ARLINGTON, Va., May 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) today joined the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Infrastructure Security Compliance Division and other industry stakeholders at a ceremony celebrating the 750^th site security plan (SSP) approval under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program.

Created in 2007 to ensure the security of chemical facilities, the CFATS program requires facilities to prepare and implement site security plans that satisfy risk-based performance standards outlined by DHS regulations. While the program has had challenges in the past, DHS made significant progress in recent months approving nearly 250 SSPs since the beginning of February.

Unfortunately, CFATS has been a victim of the partisan rancor on Capitol Hill as lawmakers have struggled in recent years to approve a federal budget, which would authorize the program. During the government shutdown last year, CFATS effectively ceased to exist. Chemical facility owners and operators had no certainty regarding their regulatory requirements under the law. NACD believes legislation now before Congress that authorizes the program for three years would provide a predictable period of time for the agency to continue its progress and offer a blueprint for a longer term or permanent extension.

Said NACD President Eric R. Byer, "This major milestone demonstrates a serious commitment to chemical facility security on the part of DHS and industry. It bolsters NACD's argument for greater flexibility and resources in administering this valuable program. We strongly urge lawmakers to pass multi-year CFATS legislation to give the industry the regulatory certainty it needs to ensure our nation's chemical facilities are secure."

NACD and its nearly 430 member companies are vital to the chemical supply chain providing products to over 750,000 end users. NACD members are leaders in health, safety, security, and environmental performance through implementation of Responsible Distribution, established in 1991 as a condition of membership and a third-party verified management practice. For more information, visit www.NACD.com.

Contact: Matthew McKinney
(571) 482-3074
[email protected]

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SOURCE National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD)