Justice Department Releases New Security Tool; Assists Chemical Makers in Advancing to Next Level of Security

6/18/2002

From: Chris VandenHeuvel, 703-741-5587; or Laurie Kusek, 703-741-5583 both of the American Chemisty Council

ARLINGTON, Va., June 18 -- The Department of Justice yesterday released a new tool to help companies that make or use chemical products assess potential security threats and vulnerabilities. The tool will help these companies take further steps to enhance security at facilities and in neighborhoods across America.

The "Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment Methodology" tool (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/195171.htm) is designed for the nation's 15,000 facilities that already are required to conduct safety assessments and develop Risk Management Plans, or RMPs, to help prevent accidental releases. The new tool will allow RMP facilities to identify and to assess potential vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks so they can take additional steps to help make their facilities as safe and secure as possible. The vulnerability assessment methodology is similar to other types of tools developed for dams, power plants and drinking water facilities.

"Our member companies will put this new tool to immediate use as part of our ongoing efforts to do everything practical to enhance security at our facilities," according to Fred Webber, president and CEO of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents more than 90 percent of the nation's chemical capacity and less than 10 percent of RMP facilities. The ACC has made enhanced security activities mandatory for its members.

ACC companies will use the DOJ assessment tool or one developed by the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), or an equivalent approach as part of their previously announced security enhancements. Since September 11, ACC and its member companies have partnered with the Office of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Defense Department, the Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency and other government agencies to bring the full force of the nation's security expertise together with the industry's ability to get things done quickly.

As part of their ongoing efforts to enhance security, ACC member companies are currently completing the prioritization of their sites. Once companies implement the measures identified in the security assessment, independent third parties will verify that the physical site security measures have been completed. Companies also will have systems in place to assure continuous improvement.

Many companies already have taken steps to increase security at their facilities. While each chemical facility requires different security measures, various ACC member companies have:

-- Added more physical barriers around their sites; -- Reduced the amount of hazardous materials stored on site; -- Redirected transportation routes of certain chemicals away from highly populated areas; and -- Moved storage tanks from the perimeter of facilities, among other steps.

ACC developed its mandatory security efforts as part of its award winning Responsible Care(r) initiative. For nearly 15 years, the ACC Responsible Care(r) initiative has helped employees in the business of chemistry continuously improve the safety of their workplace, leading to a greater sense of confidence among employees and their families, as well as neighbors in their communities.

The new security assessment tool was developed by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Justice Department's research and development agency, in collaboration with the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories. Announcing the availability of this new tool, OJP Assistant Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels said: "The risk assessment methodology provided today will be a critically valuable tool that industry can use to help protect chemical plants against possible terrorist activity."

The assessment tool provides a practical method to assess the security of chemical facilities across the United States. NIJ and Sandia focused primarily on terrorist or criminal activities that could have significant national impact or cause releases of hazardous chemicals that could cause injuries or fatalities among facility employees and neighboring communities. The methodology provides a way for facilities to identify risks and reduce the likelihood of attacks.

In developing the methodology, NIJ and Sandia collected and reviewed extensive information relevant to threats, risks and vulnerabilities associated with facilities that make and use chemicals, conducted outreach with the field, including meetings and discussions with a range of industry, government, citizen representatives and private individuals, created a website to describe the development effort and solicited comments and inspected a number of facilities across the country.

------ The American Chemistry Council represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. Council members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. The Council is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care(r), common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $450 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is the nation's largest exporter, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies invest more in research and development than any other business sector.