Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards

The Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP) leads and coordinates national programs and policies on critical infrastructure security and resilience.  Within IP, the Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD)leads the nation’s effort to secure America’s high-risk chemical facilities and prevent the use of certain chemicals in a terrorist act on the homeland through the systematic regulation, inspection, and enforcement of chemical infrastructure security requirements.

 The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) CFATS defines security requirements for facilities that use, manufacture, store or handle specific quantities of approximately 322 “chemicals of interest” (COI), listed in Appendix A to the regulation, that DHS has identified as being dangerous.  Collaboration between chemical facilities and emergency responders is critical to ensuring a secure and resilient community.  Emergency responders play an important role as a facility covered by CFATS develop and implement its Site Security Plan (SSP).  Chemical Security Inspectors work with emergency response communities and regulators to ensure an understanding of CFATS and what it means to them. Inspectors have access to resources to share and can help facilitate awareness between the emergency responders and facilities.

 ISCD  will ensure the audience is aware of the CFATS program and facilitate a discussion on how the emergency responders can prepare for interaction with a CFATS regulated facility in order to strengthen community planning and preparedness.  Additionally, a briefing will be provided on the President issued Executive Order 13650 - Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security and the resources that were created as a result of the working group.