Chemical facilities.

CHEMICAL FACILITIES. A bill (S. 2145) introduced by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) that would enhance security at chemical facilities has been approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Senate has agreed to consider the measure.

The bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue regulations establishing a risk-based security plan for chemical facilities that could be applied as needed by facility owners. Owners would be required to conduct vulnerability assessments, site security plans, and emergency response plans. The measure would allow the head of DHS to order mandatory security measures if additional security was deemed needed to respond to a specific threat assessment or a threat against chemical facilities in general.