The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) for all facilities that manufacture, use, store, or distribute certain chemicals above a specified quantity. The federal government has recognized that research universities may have chemicals of interest (COIs) to terrorists, and the legislation requires detailed chemical inventory reporting.

Colleges and universities collectively sought an exemption from this regulation, but were not successful. As a result, inventory information for all labs must be received in Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) by February 1, 2008. A list of the DHS COIs can be found at http://www.ehrs.columbia.edu/DHSChemicals.html.

EH&S is spearheading the reporting effort, but it is the responsibility of every Columbia University lab to review the chemical list and submit their inventory, following the instructions link below.

• DHS Chemicals of Interest Thank you letter
  
• DHS Chemicals Of Interest Survey Instructions
• Department of Homeland Security Chemicals of Interest list
• Final Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (Final Rule)
  
• Department of Homeland Security: Chemical Security Web Page
• Appendix A List of Chemicals of Interest (pdf version)
• CSHEMA DHS site
• A Letter to Departmental Chairs from AVP of EH&S
• Second Letter to Departmental Chairs from AVP of EH&S