DHS Publishes Notice of Possible Changes to COI List

Today the DHS Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD) published a meeting notice in the Federal Register (80 FR 62504-62506) for a meeting in Washington, DC on October 27^th, 2015 concerning possible changes to 6 CFR Part 27 Appendix A, the DHS Chemicals of Interest (COI) list for the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. The public meeting will include a round-table discussion of the changes being considered and a public listening session. The meeting will be web cast.

ISCD is reviewing the current Appendix A and is looking for public input in the following areas:

• The possible addition of chemicals to, and/or the deletion or modification of COI currently listed in Appendix A;

• The applicability and/or modification of any Screening Threshold Quantities (STQ) or minimum concentrations;

• Concentration and mixtures rules associated with Appendix A, which are described in 6 CFR 27.204;

• Isotopic variants to include comments on Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) Registry Numbers and nomenclature;

• The classification of COI within different security issues, to include the potential for re-designating certain chemicals now listed solely as release flammable so they are listed solely as toxic or as toxic and flammable; and

• Criteria for “counting rules” for screening threshold quantities to include clarification on how to determine if a COI is in transportation.

ISCD has also updated their CFATS web site to include links to the registration page for this meeting and the revised page on the CFATS ANPRM that now includes information on the Appendix A update being considered.

While advance registration for this meeting is not required, DHS is now taking reservations for spaces at the meeting (live and on-line). Written public comments are also be solicited by ISCD. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov; Docket # DHS-2014-0016).