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| Chemical Sector Coordinating Council | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chemical Sector Coordinating Council |
| Formation | 2006 |
| Purpose | Industry-government coordination for chemical sector security and resilience |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Region served | United States |
| Membership | Chemical manufacturers, trade associations, security firms, research institutions |
Chemical Sector Coordinating Council
The Chemical Sector Coordinating Council is an industry-led coalition convening senior executives from major Dow Chemical Company, BASF, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and other firms to interface with federal entities such as the Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Founded to enhance resilience after events like Hurricane Katrina and the September 11 attacks, the council fosters partnerships across sectors including American Chemistry Council, Society of Chemical Industry, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and academic institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The council addresses policy topics spanning Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Transportation Security Administration, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and state-level agencies.
The council functions as a principal coordinating body for private sector representatives from corporations such as Honeywell International, 3M Company, Shell plc, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. and trade groups like the National Association of Manufacturers to liaise with federal partners including White House National Security Council, United States Congress, Homeland Security Advisory Council and regional entities such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It convenes crosscutting workstreams that align with standards-setting organizations like American National Standards Institute, International Organization for Standardization, American Petroleum Institute and research consortia at universities like Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley.
The council traces origins to post-September 11 attacks policy reforms and industry-government coalitions formed in response to disruptions exemplified by Hurricane Katrina and industrial incidents investigated by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Early participants included legacy firms from mergers such as Monsanto Company (now part of Bayer AG) and entities represented in the Manufacturing USA network. Its establishment paralleled initiatives like the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and engagements with the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and evolved amid regulatory shifts influenced by statutes such as the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Clean Air Act amendments.
The council’s mission centers on public-private collaboration among stakeholders including United Steelworkers-affiliated employees, multinational firms like Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, technology providers such as IBM and consulting firms like McKinsey & Company. Functions include information sharing under protocols akin to those of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center model, development of best practices referencing National Institute of Standards and Technology frameworks, risk assessments using methodologies similar to Fault Tree Analysis employed in Chemical process safety curricula at institutions like University of Texas at Austin, and advocacy interacting with committees of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.
The council is organized into an executive steering group populated by chief security officers, chief sustainability officers and compliance officers from corporations like Eastman Chemical Company, INEOS Group and SABIC. Subcommittees mirror topical areas found in policy ecosystems such as critical infrastructure protection (engaging with Sector Risk Management Agency functions), supply-chain resilience linking to Association of American Railroads and maritime considerations involving United States Coast Guard. The council maintains liaisons to federal interagency working groups, task forces connected with the National Response Framework, and collaborates with standards bodies such as Underwriters Laboratories.
Members span multinational corporations, trade associations like the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, insurance firms such as AIG, academic partners including Carnegie Mellon University, and security contractors. Stakeholders encompass state emergency response commissions exemplified by Texas Division of Emergency Management, local emergency planning committees established under Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, and international partners like the European Chemicals Agency and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development delegations addressing cross-border regulatory alignment.
The council advances programs in facility security enhancements, continuity planning following incidents like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, cyber resilience aligning with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency guidance, and supply-chain mapping in coordination with Department of Transportation initiatives. It sponsors training programs drawing on curricula from National Research Council (United States), tabletop exercises similar to those run by FEMA National Exercise Program, and public-private partnerships echoing models used by Project BioShield and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine studies.
Regular engagement channels include formal briefings to committees such as the House Committee on Homeland Security, consultations with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency under provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act, and collaboration on regulatory interpretations with Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The council participates in interagency drills coordinated with Federal Emergency Management Agency regions, contributes to policy development for the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards regime, and coordinates international outreach with entities such as the International Maritime Organization.
Critics from advocacy groups like Natural Resources Defense Council and investigative journalism outlets including The New York Times and ProPublica have raised concerns about industry influence, transparency, and regulatory capture in forums resembling those the council occupies. Debates have referenced legislative scrutiny by committees like the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, whistleblower disclosures comparable to cases involving Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement, and tensions over balancing proprietary information protection with public right-to-know statutes such as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.