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		AcuSafe Home Page -> October 2002 Newsletter
		EPA Discloses OMB is Developing Chemical Site Security Regulations

Ms. Deborah Dietrich, Director, Chemical Emergency Preparedness Prevention Office, U.S. EPA, reported that the Office of Management and Budget was in process of developing “bipartisan” regulations to address the security of chemical sites to terrorist attack. She revealed during a luncheon speech before the AIChE/CCPS International Conference and Workshop in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 9th that the regulations were not yet released for public comment but would likely involve three areas: 1) the need to conduct a security vulnerability analysis; 2) the need to implement additional countermeasures as required, and 3) the need to coordinate the results of the analysis with local law enforcement and first responders. This development may mean that proposed legislation sponsored by Senator John Corzine of New Jersey (S.1602) may be in jeopardy, and that this proposed legislation will ultimately prevail.

Ms. Dietrich explained the role EPA plays in current and future Homeland Security Initiatives, including past response activities for the World Trade Center Ground Zero site cleanup and the remediation activities involved for the anthrax incidents in 2001. The role of the EPA is outlined in the newly released document “Strategic Plan for Homeland Security”, which is available on http://www.epa.gov. Despite the outlook for the Corzine billed mentioned above, some of the principles of the bill seem to be reiterated in the EPA’s Strategic Plan for Homeland Security. This plan outlines several objectives for security of chemical sites including the following:

“GOAL 2 - EPA will work with the states, tribes, and other partners to enhance security in the chemical and oil industry:

2.1 EPA will work with the chemical industry to assist and encourage the development of comprehensive chemical facility physical security guidelines, and chemical facility vulnerability assessment tools. As part of these efforts, EPA will work with industry to develop vulnerability assessment guidance, identify potential security enhancements, examine the feasibility of integrating “inherently safer technologies,” and explore with industry the use of third party verification for security at chemical facilities.

2.2 EPA will assist small and medium-sized enterprises with the tools they need to address security concerns. As part of this effort, EPA will work with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to identify important site security concerns for pertinent small businesses. These concerns will include vulnerability assessments, site security enhancements, and hazard reduction techniques. Based on these efforts, EPA will then work with SBA to provide outreach materials and technical assistance to small businesses associated with the above areas.

2.3 In coordination with the new Department of Homeland Security, EPA will work with emergency planning organizations to assist them in understanding site security hazards and prioritizing risks with their chemical facilities. As part of this effort, EPA will provide technical guidance and outreach materials about chemical security to these organizations.

2.4 EPA will work with the oil industry trade associations to assist and encourage the development of comprehensive physical security guidelines and vulnerability assessment tools.

2.5 EPA will work to ensure that the sale, distribution, use, storage, and disposal of chemical pesticides and other non-pesticidal chemicals are adequately safeguarded from threats posed by terrorism. As part of this effort, EPA will develop and broaden its technical expertise to identify the riskiest pesticide chemicals, develop and expand the available information on chemical pesticides and in assessing risks of exposure to those chemicals, and work to share this information with state, local, and tribal governments.”.

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