To reduce the risk of more than 300 chemicals of interest (COI) being weaponized, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program identifies and regulates high-risk chemical facilities to ensure appropriate security measures are in place. Under CFATS, a chemical facility is “any establishment that possesses or plans to possess certain chemicals, at any relevant point in time …” and can be a large company or a single individual. If in possession of a COI at or above the screening threshold quantity (STQ) and minimum concentration listed in Appendix A of the CFATS regulation, facilities must report those chemicals to CISA within 60 days, regardless of how long the facility possesses COI. Facilities that may possess ammonia (anhydrous) include, but are not limited to, agricultural suppliers, electric generation facilities, chemical manufacturers, and cold storage facilities, among others.
Ammonia (anhydrous) is a COI under CFATS. Ammonia (anhydrous) is a Release-Toxic chemical—meaning, if intentionally released, it has the potential to create a toxic cloud that could affect populations within and beyond the facility. The STQ for ammonia (anhydrous) is 10,000 lb. Failure to report the possession of a COI at or above the STQ can be subject to civil penalties.
CFATS Resources for Facilities with Ammonia (Anhydrous)