U.S. HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES AMMONIUM NITRATE BILL

Buyers and sellers would have to register

A House Homeland Security Committee subcommittee has approved a bill to regulate the production of ammonium nitrate by requiring any person who produces, sells or buys ammonium nitrate to register with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). An amendment accepted in subcommittee would also require sellers to record the purchaser's drivers license number or other photo identification and the amount of ammonium nitrate purchased. Records would have to be retained for three years. DHS would be authorized to make grants to states to enforce the law, and record audits would be conducted during other state inspections of fertilizer facilities. There's no word on when the full committee will vote on the bill. A similar bill in the Senate has seen no action to date.