Previously the administration supported industry's position that government involvement was unnecessary and that company-sponsored voluntary security measures were sufficient. In a June 15 hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finally supported federal chemical security legislation.
Robert Stephan, Undersecretary for Intelligence and Infrastructure at DHS, informed the Committee that "it has become clear the entirely voluntary efforts of these companies alone will not sufficiently address security for the entire sector."
For some time, experts from government agencies, research institutes, trade associations, labor unions, and public interest groups have warned that chemical facilities are highly vulnerable to potential terrorist attacks. Despite these warnings and the nearly four years since 9/11, the federal government has not taken any action to minimize the risks associated with these facilities.
While the administration's statement is a step forward, it remains unclear exactly what type of federal requirements it would endorse. As with most legislation, the devil will be in the details.
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