ACC member companies manufacture products that are critical to the everyday health and well-being of our nation, and essential to developing a greener, cleaner, more competitive economy. Because of their critical role to nation's economy and their responsibility to their employees and communities—safety and security continue to be a top priority for ACC members.

Policy Background

Within months of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, ACC created a stringent, mandatory security program called the Responsible Care® Security Code. To date, ACC member companies have invested more than $11.2 billion to further enhance site, transportation and cyber security at their facilities under the Security Code, which has become a gold standard for the industry and served as a model for regulatory programs.

It is not only appropriate but necessary that industry’s efforts are combined with a smart regulatory approach to ensure that everyone throughout the chemical sector is doing their part to protect this important part of the country's critical infrastructure.

ACC and its members support a host of federal programs that currently regulate all aspects of chemical security including the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). In 2006, ACC helped lead the charge in Congress to pass legislation to give DHS the authority to create CFATS. This stringent program regulates security for a wide variety of facilities that make, store or use chemicals from farms to factories. CFATS allows facilities to tailor their security plans to meet their unique needs while providing DHS with clear authority to fine or shutdown facilities that do not meet the program’s comprehensive security standards.

A survey report commissioned by ACC shows that CFATS enjoys strong support by the regulated community and is helping drive security enhancements at chemical facilities along with other regulatory and industry programs.

ACC’S Policy Position

America’s security policy must establish permanent federal regulations to protect facilities that produce, use or store chemicals.

• To build on the successful effort already underway to secure chemical facilities, the federal government must provide regulatory certainty.

• Regulations should continue to require facilities to meet stringent security standards without interfering with their ability to use chemicals that are necessary to meet the needs of the nation. Congress should leave decisions regarding chemical substitution in the hands of facility operators who fully understand the ramifications—beyond security—of such complex decisions.

ACC strongly urges Congress to pass legislation that will provide for a long-term extension of CFATS without significant changes.