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ILTA, SOCMA hail CFATS extension

July 21, 2020
Legislation including three-year reauthorization of chemical security program now heads to president’s desk for signature

The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) and Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) recently hailed the passage of legislation by the House of Representatives that includes a three-year reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS).

Senate bill S.4148, earlier unanimously approved by the Senate, now heads to the desk of the President Trump, who must sign the bill into law before CFATS expires July 23.

CFATS is a security program that identifies and regulates high-risk facilities to ensure that they have the appropriate security measures in place to reduce the risk that certain hazardous chemicals are weaponized by terrorists.

“We commend the House for extending this extremely important antiterrorism program,” said Kathryn Clay, president of ILTA. “CFATS plays a critical role in maintaining our nation’s security, and ILTA’s members appreciate the diligence with which the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) administers this vital program.

“ILTA members and CISA share the common goal of ensuring chemical facility security by guarding against potential terrorist threats. CFATS works to set appropriate standards for all high-risk chemical facilities, helping to keep facilities and communities safer. ILTA looks forward to continued work with CISA to ensure that these standards are based on the best science available related to the physical properties of covered chemicals.

“ILTA strongly supports this multiyear authorization because it will provide needed regulatory stability and certainty to companies operating critical chemical storage and production facilities. Maintaining the security of our nation’s chemical facilities is a critical mission, and ILTA encourages future Congresses to consider longer-term reauthorizations for the CFATS program.” 

SOCMA also emphasized the importance of extending the program for securing high-risk facilities.

“The CFATS program is integral to the specialty chemicals industry, and our members are both happy and relieved at its extension,” said Robert F Helminiak, SOCMA’s vice president of legal and government relations. “Reauthorization provides our industry with the certainty needed to make long-term facility security investments and enables DHS to continue running the CFATS program efficiently, ensuring it properly protects against security threats across the nation.”

SOCMA says it and its members, along with other chemical industry stakeholders and coalition partners, have worked for several years to achieve long-term CFATS reauthorization, and called the most recent three-year pact a successful outcome. Their efforts also included several short-term extensions over the past two years.

“SOCMA and our members greatly value the partnership we have with the Department of Homeland Security,” Helminiak said. “We look forward to not only continuing the relationship but also growing it to provide the best security program possible.”

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