L. Vance Taylor

Flip-flops Against Chemical Security – Really GreenPeace?

February 16, 2011

GreenPeace wasted little time showing off its true colors last Friday when the group’s legislative director, Rick Hind, decided to protest during a House Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on chemical security. Waving flip-flops over his head, Rick managed to interrupt the hearing and wag the proverbial middle finger to the water sector. The fact is, GreenPeace is less concerned about chemical security than they are about just banning chlorine.

Round and Round We Go: Congressional Rhetoric Without Action

L. Vance Taylor |

January 11, 2011

To express their discontent, “the people” tossed out many of the old congressional leaders in the hopes of something new. Two weeks into the New Year, I’d say they haven’t exactly found the change they were looking for. If the election taught us anything, it’s that, as a nation, we’ve grown tired of the rhetoric.

American Leadership: Lessons Borne of Cholera

L. Vance Taylor |

December 1, 2010

There are 1,721 people dead in Haiti due to a Cholera epidemic that we had the power to prevent and the ability to eradicate. How can it be that just 600 miles off the coast of Florida, Cholera is expected to eventually infect over 400,000 people? This despite the fact that we have cheap access to three different vaccines, understand disease prevention and knew it was coming.

Attention Incoming Members of Congress: Raise Funding for Water Infrastructure

L. Vance Taylor |

November 4, 2010

If you’re popping corks about America’s recommitment to Republican values, you can put away your champagne glasses. This week’s election results are less about Republican values, programs and policies than they are about a growing state of frustration on behalf of Americans who feel ignored by their elected representatives. So what do the people want? Safe, clean and reliable drinking water. Surprised? Well, don’t be.

Politics vs. Security – A Tale of Two Committees

L. Vance Taylor |

July 29, 2010

Two Senate committees, three chemical security bills and one issue to rule them all – the role of so-called Inherently Safer Technologies (ISTs) in America’s approach to safeguarding communities from acts of terrorism. With DHS’ Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) set to expire in October, lawmakers in the Senate are taking steps to keep it alive. What form the program ultimately takes will depend on whether legislators choose to focus on politics or national security.

Water Systems – A Rising Rate to Lift Our Nation?

L. Vance Taylor |

June 16, 2010

Leaders at every level of government continue to ignore the obvious, and dare I say, “inconvenient” truth about water: We need to raise rates. Either that or get used to being thirsty, stock up on Pepto-Bismol, and get ready for a mean tutorial on what Cholera feels like. U.S. water systems are the best in the world, but the fight to maintain water quality may be lost if utilities remain hamstrung by requirements to under charge for services.

The Airport Security Process: Learning the Hard Way

L. Vance Taylor |

February 22, 2010

Last week, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers at the Philadelphia airport grossly mistreated Ryan Thomas, a 4-year-old boy who has intellectual and physical disabilities, and his parents. Headed for an Orlando-bound flight to celebrate Ryan’s birthday at Disney World, TSA security screeners forced Ryan’s parents to strip off his leg braces to clear security. What happened to Ryan is a symptom of what’s wrong with the airport security process, and it should be leveraged to enhance safety while improving the airport experience for all flyers.

Fear-mongering at its Worst – A Threat to Water?

L. Vance Taylor |

January 15, 2010

The January 12, 2010 headline of The Washington Examiner was irresponsible, reckless, and salacious. Splashed across the front page read: “Terror threat to city water.” As a water security guy, I was sucked in. After reading the informative (if not boring) article about DC water’s switch in disinfection processes, a change that was publicly announced three years ago, I realized I had been Rickrolled by a dying paper’s feeble attempt to increase its dwindling circulation.

Rapid Notification – When You Really Have to Know

L. Vance Taylor |

December 10, 2009

Last week in Portland, officials conducting routine reservoir testing found something unexpected: E. Coli. Officials reached out to the community via print, television, and radio news outlets, health networks, and their utility Web site. Unfortunately, many in the community remained unaware of the contamination until reading about it on the bottom of their TV screens during the following day’s football games. As it turns out, textbook responses don’t work as well when the textbook in question is out of date.

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