Thanksgiving Gratitude

 

We are incredibly thankful for the campus safety and security, emergency management, and other professionals who work diligently to keep our campus communities safe. Your meaningful contributions and collaborations allow these communities to thrive. Have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving holiday!

Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Information for Colleges and Universities

Colleges and universities in the U.S. conduct some of the world's most important research in chemistry, medicine, agriculture, and other fields. They are also home to sports complexes and training facilities. These institutions frequently possess chemicals of interest (COI) that are regularly used, stored, or made in:

Chemistry labs Research facilities Pool complexes

Agricultural facilities Medical programs

 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulates security at high-risk chemical facilities under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, 6 C.F.R. Part 27. The program identifies and regulates high-risk chemical facilities to ensure security measures are in place to reduce the risk of the misappropriation or misuse of chemicals by an adversary.

 

Many college and university facilities are required to comply with the CFATS regulation. Facilities that come into possession of COI at or above quantities and concentrations specified in the regulation must report their chemicals to DHS within 60 days through an online screening tool referred to as a Top-Screen. DHS conducts a dynamic multi-tiered risk-assessment to determine whether a facility is high-risk by evaluating potential consequences of an attack, the facility's inherent vulnerability, and threat factors. Facilities with COI below threshold quantities and/or concentrations are not required to report to DHS. Upon receiving confirmation of its high-risk status, a facility must develop a Site Security Plan (SSP) that addresses 18 risk-based performance standards (RBPS). DHS works with facilities to select and implement security measures in their SSP that are appropriate to the facilities' circumstances and satisfy the RBPS.

 

DHS can assist colleges and universities by helping them determine how to secure and monitor their buildings, operations, and other areas. A variety of tools are available to facilitate compliance with CFATS:

Visit DHS' Critical Infrastructure: Chemical Security web pages for more information.