Notice to Facilities to Begin Registration for Chemical Security Assessment Tool, 20423 [E7-7923]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 25, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 20423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7923]



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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 25, 2007 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 20423]]



DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

6 CFR Part 27

[DHS-2007-0025]


Notice to Facilities to Begin Registration for Chemical Security 
Assessment Tool

AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) 
recommends that chemical facilities begin the registration process to 
gain access to the Chemical Security Assessment Tool (CSAT) system. 
This is a voluntary registration process for facilities that think they 
may be covered by DHS's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards 
located in 6 CFR Part 27 and that would like to initiate the process to 
determine whether or not they are covered by 6 CFR Part 27.

DATES: Effective April 25, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Bettridge, Chemical Security 
Regulatory Task Force, Department of Homeland Security, 703-235-5263.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 550 of the Homeland Security 
Appropriations Act of 2007 provided the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS or Department) with authority to promulgate ``interim final 
regulations'' for the security of certain chemical facilities in the 
United States. See Pub. L. 109-295, sec. 550. On December 28, 2006, the 
Department issued an Advance Notice of Rulemaking seeking comment on 
the significant issues and regulatory text (see 71 FR 78276), and on 
April 9, 2007, the Department published an Interim Final Rule 
establishing anti-terrorism standards for chemical facilities (see 72 
FR 17688). The Interim Final Rule is effective June 8, 2007.
    Although the Interim Final Rule does not go into effect until June, 
DHS strongly recommends that facilities begin the registration process 
as soon as possible to gain access to the Chemical Security Assessment 
Tool (CSAT) system. The CSAT is a suite of four applications, including 
the User Registration, Top-Screen, Security Vulnerability Assessment, 
and Site Security Plan, through which the Department will collect and 
analyze key data from chemical facilities. Facilities will submit 
information to DHS through an on-line, web-based component of the CSAT 
system. CSAT user registration is the first step in the process of 
determining whether or not facilities are covered by the Interim Final 
Rule.
    In the course of the CSAT user registration process, facilities 
will provide basic information to DHS (e.g., the name, contact 
information, and mailing address for the submitter), and DHS will, in 
turn, provide each approved CSAT user with a user identification and 
password, so that they can access the CSAT system. DHS will provide 
approved users with user identifications and passwords in the weeks 
just before the interim final rule becomes effective (i.e., June 8, 
2007).
    By beginning and encouraging early user registration, DHS believes 
that it will facilitate the efficient roll-out of the Interim Final 
Rule. The registration process can take some time, as there are several 
parts involved: Potential users must complete an online form, DHS must 
create an account, and potential users must then sign the user 
registration form and return it to DHS. Facilities who have registered 
early will have completed this process and will be able to begin 
completing the Top-Screen as soon as the rule goes into effect.
    Until the effective date of the rule, this is a voluntary 
registration process for facilities that think they may be covered by 
DHS's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards located in 6 CFR Part 
27 and that would like to initiate the process to determine whether or 
not they are covered by 6 CFR Part 27. By registering with DHS, 
facilities will obtain access to the CSAT system, so that they can 
obtain a user registration and password, complete the Top-Screen, etc. 
Note that this Federal Register Notice is not notice under 6 CFR 
27.200(b) that DHS is seeking information from certain chemical 
facilities. This notice does not impose any obligation or requirement 
on any party. Instead, it simply provides written notice of the Web 
site available for parties voluntarily choosing to access the CSAT 
system.
    To begin the CSAT registration process, facilities should go to 
https://www.DHS.gov/chemicalsecurity and follow the instructions for 
gaining access to the CSAT system. DHS has activated this CSAT Web page 
concurrent with its publication of the interim final rule on April 9, 
2007. In addition, DHS notes that it has established a help desk for 
CSAT users. The phone number for the help desk is located on the CSAT 
Web page.

Robert B. Stephan,
Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, Department of 
Homeland Security.
 [FR Doc. E7-7923 Filed 4-24-07; 8:45 am]
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