Senate Chooses To Extend CFATS

The U.S. Senate has approved a bill which extends the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) rules for one year, a different story than the House of Representatives’ decision.

The provision to extend the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) CFATS rules is part of the fiscal year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill (HR 2892). The current CFATS rules are set to expire on Oct. 4.

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The House Homeland Security Committee recently approved legislation (HR 2868) that would give DHS permanent regulatory authority of chemical facilities and expand the rules to mandate the use of inherently safer technologies (IST) and allow for civil suits. The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) strongly opposes HR 2868 as it would lead to the loss of critical crop nutrient and protection products and open up agricultural operations to frivolous lawsuits by anti-chemical activist groups.

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According to ARA, Congressional sources indicate that any stand-alone chemical security proposals are unlikely to be enacted into law this year.

ARA encourages members to continue to weigh in with their lawmakers in opposition to HR 2868 and urge them to support a simple extension of existing CFATS rules. Visit www.aradc.orgor additional information.

(Source: Agricultural Retailers Association)

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