There are eleven chemical plants in New Jersey and a chemical release from any one of them could expose more than one million people to deadly toxins. This would be a Islamist made attack like the gas tragedy at Union carbide's Plant in Bhopal - a town in Central India, in the 1980s.

Greenspan

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Think about this: there are eleven chemical plants in New Jersey and a chemical release from any one of them could expose more than one million people to deadly toxins. This would be a Islamist made attack like the gas tragedy at Union carbide's Plant in Bhopal - a town in Central India, in the 1980s.

This is a story the Eyewitness News Investigators have been covering and uncovering since 9/11. Tonight Congress is beginning to take action.

Is it any wonder that one highly-regarded security expert referred to them today as potential weapons of mass destruction? Yet three-and-a- half years after 9/11, there is more talk about whether Congress should impose security standards on the chemical industry.

Richard Falkenrath, Former Bush Security Adviser: "They are enormously dangerous."

Some of the nation's top terrorist experts pleaded yet again with Congress to set some kind of security standards for the nation's chemical facilities. Since 9/11, Congress has bowed to the the powerful chemical lobby and has allowed the industry to police itself. Stephen Flynn, Ph.D, Security Expert: "How this could still be off the list of priorities three and a half years since 9/11 is quite simply extraordinary."

Last summer, an Eyewitness News investigation revealed the failings of Congress' voluntary approach to chemical security. While some plants in New Jersey had locked gates, guards and even police patrols, others had wide open entrances that you could drive right through.

Jim Hoffer: "It would be a cinch to gain access to this chemical plant on the backside of the facility. Here there are no guards, no cameras in this area. You could jump off this embankment and be inside in seconds."

Today, New Jersey's Senator Jon Corzine - who's push for tighter chemical security has mostly been ignored by Congress - warned that time could be running out.

Sen Jon Corzine, (D) N.J.: "Lives are at stake. We would not tolerate this kind of sight security oversight at nuclear power plants and the public knows that."

Even Congress' investigative arm has put out several reports emphasizing the dangers that exist because, "no federal laws require chemical plants to assess vulnerabilities or take security actions."

Our investigation last summer saw plenty of evidence of this: gates wide open, unguarded, unlocked, even at facilities where extremely hazardous chemicals are processed.

Today, a former top homeland security advisor to the president admitted today that the complete lack of oversight makes potential targets out of thousands of chemical plants.

Richard Falkenrath, Former Bush Secutiry Adviser: "In my opinion, the single greatest danger of potential terrorist attack in our country today."

Some chemical plants have beefed up security, but it is not required and Senator Corzine thinks it should be. He wants standards set for higher walls and fences, detection systems and reinforced storage tanks.

Story CreditsABC Local