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8 news www.securitysystemsnews.com february 2014 seCurITy sysTeMs news Integrator opportunity with CFATS? SIA working on legislation that would improve management of 18 chemical facility standards By Leif Kothe WASHINGTON—Integrators could reap the benefts of a bill in the works that would improve how DHS manages a set of performance-based guidelines for high-risk chemical facilities, known as the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards or CFATS. "For integrators, f nding the solutions to meet the requirements of those standards has really been the market definer," Don Erickson, CEO LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP of SIA, which is backing the bill, told Security Systems News. "There's a real opportunity in terms of vending a solution as a provider to help those facilities meet these standards." Introduced in 2009 as part of the DHS Appropriations Act, CFATS comprise a set of 18 feder- Are you gonna get suckered in? al regulations that facilities housing hazardous materials must comply with. The regulations, imposed by DHS, consist o f re q u i re ments for both physical Don Erickson and cyber security, as well as for other functional areas, Erickson said. The forthcoming legislation is motivated in part by the 2013 explosion of a fertilizer plant in rural Texas. Jake Parker, government relations director at SIA, said the standards have been extended twice since their inception. But in the interest of providing greater certainty to "Finding the solutions to meet the requirements of those standards has really been the market defner ." —Don erickson, sIa Don't sign anything until you talk to us first. Your Dealer Program was just sold of. And that could mean big changes to your deal – no matter what they say. Contact us BEFORE they convince you to sign a new contract. Find out more at KnowYourDealerProgram.com Central Security Group Dealer Development | 888-848-8851 integrators, SIA hopes the bill will put in place a long-term authorization that eliminates the recurring "sunset." "That's one of the options—we could potentially make authorization permanent, which is what the administration actually prefers," Parker said. He added: "One of the options for Congress is to put those in statute, but we would prefer that they be fexible to change as things evolve." Another critical component of the push for permanent reauthorization of the standards, Parker noted, is mobilizing a working group, composed primarily of security integrators, who can weigh in on the bill before it is fnalized. "We would like to get our members involved with CFATS and really put together a snapshot of their involvement and be able to take that to the Hill as this reauthorization process evolves," Parker said. "Hopefully we can get them involved in oversight hearings held prior to an authorization bill being marked up." At it stands now, the timeline for the bill landing could be in March, when the Senate holds its frst oversight hearing, Parker said. But on the House side, there's the possibility that the House Homeland Security Committee could convene and have a bill ready "as soon a month from sia see page 10