EPA To Require Terror Checks

Danielle Jackson

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to begin requiring that facilities such as chemical manufacturing plants, storage containers, and waste and water treatment plants conduct "vulnerability assessments" to determine the level of safety at their plants.

The self-assessments would cover factors such as site security, including the number of guards and Internet barriers, as well as access and inventory control, storage practices and the availability of inherently safer technologies.

EPA administrator Christie Whitman developed the plan as part of an interagency group chaired by the Office of Homeland Security. She is expected to announce the official principles of the plan later this week.