Over 100 different organisations have asked governors from ten states and Puerto Rico to follow federal guidelines in recognising "critical infrastructure" and essential businesses during the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.
The letter specifically asks governors to implement guidance from the US Department of Homeland Security as official state policy, and to prohibit local and state authorities from "impeding the lawful operation" of businesses that are deemed critical.
States that were sent a copy of the letter are Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, in addition to Puerto Rico.
Uniform recognition of critical infrastructure "will enable the smooth flow of essential products and services" within states and across state lines, the organisations said in the 3 April letter. They also asked state leaders to create a "central authority" to coordinate actions within their state.
"States that opt to incorporate the federal guidance rather than craft their own will benefit from the clarity such an approach offers and free up resources to focus on other emergency response efforts," the groups said.
Signatories to the letter include the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the Fragrance Creators Association, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, as well as other representatives from the manufacturing, importing, distribution, supply chain and labour industries. They are organising under the name the Critical Infrastructure Supply Chain Council.
The 19 March guidance from DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) listed the chemicals sector as one of several "essential" industries with workers who fill vital roles during the Covid-19 outbreak.
"HCPA represents the manufacturers of cleaning and disinfecting products that can kill and help stop the spread of Covid-19, so it’s essential that these types of business are able to remain open," Steve Caldeira, the president and CEO of HCPA, said in a press release on 3 April.
A similar call came late last month from the non-profit Business Roundtable, the advocacy group National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce. The trio on 26 March issued their own joint letter about critical infrastructure to the National Governors Association, referencing CISA’s guidance on the subject. Both the Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers also signed the most recent letter.
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