Chemical companies seeking to comply with federal Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) regulations have focused almost entirely on using the Department of Homeland Security's Web-based Chemical Security Assessment Tool (CSAT) to create and submit a Site Security Plan.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is now reviving interest in an alternative. The chemical association is working with the Department of Homeland Security to revamp the Alternative Security Program (ASP) to make it a useful tool for CFATS compliance. A new ASP Guidance Document will complement the current Site Security Plan (SSP) process and help to accelerate plan approvals by clarifying aspects of the process that remain undefined, such as what level of detail to include in the SSP. The new alternative approach will enhance the information provided to better guide security enhancements for a faster and more efficient route to CFATS compliance.