Reader Comment – 07-29-09 – CFATS Personnel Surety

Back on Wednesday an anonymous reader posted a comment to my original blog on the DHS CSAT Personnel Surety ICR; actually I think it was partially a reply to another reader comment and my blog. Anonymous concluded the comments with the statement that: “The details aren't available in the Federal Register notice, but the department is holding meetings with an outline of what they're thinking and making that information available to these certain groups.” That sounds a little sinister, so I did some checking. DHS is certainly talking to a variety of affected industry groups about their intentions. The ICR was mentioned at the Chemical Sector Security Summit by Sue Armstrong, the head of Infrastructure Security Compliance Division of DHS. There she promised to brief members of the appropriate Sector Coordinating Councils (self-organized, self-led groups that are broadly representative of owners and operators and their associations within the sector, which are focused on homeland security and critical infrastructure protection) and listen to their input on the potential programs. Next week the ‘listening sessions’ will be held with the Oil and Natural Gas Sector Coordinating Council (8/3 at 2:00 pm) and the Chemical Sector Coordinating Council (8/5 at 10:00). I’ll see if I can get someone to get me some information on the feedback presented in those sessions. There is certainly nothing sinister about this outreach effort. The owner-operators of the chemical facilities that will be affected by the CFATS Personnel Surety Program certainly deserve to have their input into the development of that system. That was one of the main reasons that the ICR notice was published in the Federal Register in the first place. That is the main reason that I wrote about the ICR in my blog. The more publicity that the program gets the better it can become.