Homeland security bill may see early action

NPGA has learned that action in the House of Representative may happen sooner than expected on revisions to the law authorizing the Department of Homeland Security chemical facility security regulations. The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., has stated his intent to move a bill similar to the one he passed in the last Congress. This bill would permanently reauthorize the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) regulations, weaken preemption and impose inherently safer technology reporting requirements on many facilities. He has indicated that he may move a bill as early as the end of February. Other House committees may insert themselves into the debate by seeking jurisdiction over portions of the bill. NPGA supports a simple, clean extension of the existing CFATS regulations and will oppose efforts to change the law since it would likely only result in additional propane facilities being covered.