High-risk chemical facilities are responsible for identifying and mitigating their own security risks following the discontinuation of the federal program. The regulatory program required facilities to vet personnel and certain unescorted visitors for terrorist ties against the U.S. government’s terrorist watchlist. The Department of Homeland Security established a regulatory program in 2007 to mitigate security risks for high-risk chemical facilities. Authorization for the regulatory program lapsed in July 2023.

Agency staffing levels changed during this period. The number of active Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency personnel dedicated to chemical sector activities declined from 214 in fiscal year 2024 to 52 in fiscal year 2025. The 214 active personnel in fiscal year 2024 represented 96 percent of authorized positions.

The active personnel counts did not include full-time personnel scheduled to separate from the agency by the end of calendar year 2025 through deferred resignations programs. The agency stated that personnel reductions necessitated reducing or eliminating services, such as most on-site facility assessments. The agency continues to offer services such as security training and cybersecurity guidance.

Why It Matters

The discontinuation of the federal vetting program shifts the burden of security risk identification to individual facilities. With more than 89 million people living or working near high-risk chemical sites as of 2025, the potential consequences of a security breach are substantial. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that weaponized high-risk chemicals could cause fatalities equivalent to a nuclear explosion.

The reduction in agency personnel from 214 in fiscal year 2024 to 52 in fiscal year 2025 limited the capacity for on-site assessments. As of May 2026, the agency indicated it was examining its existing authority to potentially re-establish a vetting process. This exploration occurs while facilities operate without the previous federal mandate for personnel screening against terrorist watchlists.

Timeline

More than 89 million people lived or worked within 2 miles of a U.S. facility using high-risk chemicals as of 2025. As of May 2026, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency said it was exploring whether its sector risk management agency authority could be used to set up a vetting process. The Department of Homeland Security published notice titled "Revision of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Cybersecurity Measures for Surface Modes" on Sept. 1, 2026.

What's New

The Department of Homeland Security published notice titled Revision of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Cybersecurity Measures for Surface Modes on Sept. 1, 2026. Additional reporting identifies the Department of Homeland Security as a United States federal executive department, according to a Congressional Research Service report.