Any individual or facility that possesses 10,000 lb. or more or more of ammonia (anhydrous)—expected to be less than 10% water—must report their chemical holdings to DHS. DHS regulates security at high-risk chemical facilities under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program (6 CFR Part 27). CFATS ensures high-risk facilities have security measures in place to reduce the security risks of certain chemicals that DHS has designated as “chemicals of interest” (COI).
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. CFATS requires a facility to report to DHS if it possesses a COI, such as ammonia (anhydrous), at or above a specified screening threshold quantity (STQ).
A facility must report to DHS all COI holdings that meet or exceed the STQ, regardless of how long the facility is in possession of the COI. Facilities that may possess ammonia (anhydrous) include, but are not limited to, farm suppliers, electric generation utilities, 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 would affect populations within and beyond the facility.
The STQ for ammonia (anhydrous) is 10,000 lb. Failure to report possession of a COI at or above the STQ can be subject to civil penalties. For more information on ammonia (anhydrous) as a COI, visit www.dhs.gov/publication/cfats-coi-list.
CLICK HERE for the DHS Document