{
  "id": "RL33048",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL33048",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 307514,
      "date": "2005-08-26",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T19:33:27.325029",
      "title": "Marine Security of Hazardous Chemical Cargo",
      "summary": "Since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, the nation has been working to improve the\nsecurity\nof hazardous chemicals transportation. Marine shipments of hazardous chemical cargo may be\nattractive terrorist targets because of their large volume and inherent toxicity or flammability. \nAnecdotal evidence and international events suggest that terrorists may have both the desire and\ncapability to attack such shipments in U.S. waters. Building on existing legislation, Congress is\nanalyzing the security of hazardous chemical marine shipments and deciding whether to strengthen\nrelated federal security efforts.  H.R. 2651 , for example, would increase penalties for\ncriminal or terrorist activities around ports and marine vessels.  S. 1052  includes\nprovisions to increase general port security, including foreign port security.\n \n Drawing on marine commerce data from the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), CRS has\nanalyzed marine shipments of acutely toxic or combustible chemicals as defined under\nEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. According to this analysis, over 100,000\nmarine shipments (54 million tons) of chemicals potentially capable of causing mass casualties\n(injuries or deaths) among the general public passed through U.S. waters in 2003. These chemical\nshipments accounted for 2% of U.S. marine cargo tonnage and were shipped through 113 U.S. ports. \nThe top 30 ports handled 95% of this hazardous chemical tonnage. Most marine shipments of\nhazardous chemicals are much larger than such shipments on land; they would be of sufficient\nvolume, on average, to require an off-site risk management plan under EPA rules if the same\nquantity of chemical was stored at a chemical plant.\n \n The Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA,  P.L. 107-295 ) and the  International Ship\nand Port Facility Security Code  give the Coast Guard far-ranging authority over the security of\nhazardous marine shipping. The agency has developed port security plans addressing how to deploy\nfederal, state, and local resources to prevent terrorist attacks. Under the MTSA, the Coast Guard has\nassessed the overall vulnerability of marine vessels, their potential to transport terrorists or terror\nmaterials, and their use as potential weapons. The Coast Guard has employed these assessments to\naugment marine assets security and develop new maritime security standards.\n \n As federal oversight of hazardous chemical marine security continues to evolve, Congress may\nraise questions concerning terrorism risk uncertainty and efforts by federal agencies and the private\nsector to rigorously evaluate that risk. Congress may assess whether responsible federal agencies\nand private sector entities have in place sufficient resources and effective measures to secure\nhazardous chemical marine cargo from terrorist attack. Congress may also evaluate the emergency\nresponse capabilities of coastal communities exposed to chemical shipping hazards. Determining\nhow hazardous chemical marine security fits together with other homeland security priorities to\nachieve common security goals could be an oversight challenge for the 109th Congress.\n \n This report will be updated as events warrant.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Energy Policy",
    "Intelligence and National Security"
  ]
}