Dept. of Homeland Security Relaxes Chemical Plant Storage Rules: Chemical industry lobbyists pleased

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: Washington Post

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 3, 2007; Page A02

The Department of Homeland Security yesterday eased rules requiring tens of thousands of U.S. chemical plants to protect their stockpiles from terrorists, pleasing chemical industry lobbyists but disappointing environmentalists and some Democratic lawmakers, who said they will beef up requirements next year.

The regulations will touch a wide range of U.S. industry, including pulp and paper mills, petroleum plants, food and agriculture facilities, and manufacturing and industrial cleaning sites.

The measure has been delayed for years by disagreements within the Bush administration over the need for new regulations after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Partisan battling is likely to intensify in the Democratic Congress because the chemical security legislation expires in September 2009.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff described the rules as "a critical piece" of federal efforts to diminish the threat posed by large private stockpiles of dangerous chemicals. DHS in April proposed a list of 344 chemicals that businesses would have to track and disclose to the department through an online reporting system. But under heavy criticism from industry, it released a less stringent version yesterday, reducing the number of targeted chemicals to about 300 and raising the reporting threshold of many chemicals of highest security concern....

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/02/AR2007110201880.html?hpid=moreheadlines

[truthisfreedom]

1. Naturally, bushco will leave terror chemicals unprotected, but continue frisking grannies at the

airport.

Bushco's rules for behavior:

Corporations=God
Individuals=Meaningless

[ixion]

4. exactly... my toothpaste is a threat to national security...but toxic

chemicals left unguarded and unprotected, well, that's okay. :eyes:

[Beerboy]

2. "Department of Homeland Security"

Is their motto, "We're gonna get you killed, but good!"?
I'd take them more seriously if they were named The Department of Booga-Booga.

[rodeodance]

3. well, i do think we have to have some balance with all this terror related stuff although

I certainly have not studied this aspect at all.

[Vinca]

5. Each and every day there is someone from this administration on the tube

screaming "terror, terror, terror," yet a nuclear weapon can be walked across our borders, our ports are only partially secure, airplane cargo isn't screened and now chemicals are prime for the taking. These people are nothing more than the worst kind of shameless, money grubbing politicians.