(378d) Patriot Act Update

Developing sound information about a facility, its engineered structures, and how the facility is best managed, is the lynchpin to maintaining a safe and secure facility. Legal mandates governing the chemical inustry and access to sensitive information must strike the appropriate balance by allowing dissemination of sufficient information to the appropriate government officials to allow those officials to develop meaningful emergency preparedness programs-- while at the same time keeping sensitive security information out the hands of would-be terrorists. This is no small or easy task. Information plays a critical role in all aspects of facility security, from physical plant security, to screening and hiring of reliable workers, to the development and implementation of effective emergency preparedness plans. Sharing security information with organizations and individuals with a "need to know" is essential not only to facilitate emergency preparedness planning, but also to design effective action by facility operators and "first responders" such as the police, hospitals, and fire departments in the event of an actual attack. Nevertheless, that same critical security information in the hands of a terrorist can be used as a devastating "blueprint" for attack. This session will discuss recent legislative and court actions that will impact the handling of safety and security information by all elements of the Nation's infrastructure, including the chemical industry. Federal laws passed since 9/11/01, including the PATRIOT Act will be addressed.