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Critical Infrastructure

The Rita Renaissance

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November 29, 2010

Here is a piece I wrote for the 2010-11 Year in Homeland Security about life in Southwest Louisiana five years after Hurricane Rita. Rita struck southwest Louisiana on Sept. 23, 2005, bringing unprecedented 50-foot storm surges inland into homes and communities that had been in place for nearly two centuries. As home to the strategic national stockpile and over 25 percent of the natural gas that fuels more than half the homes and industries of the United States, southwest Louisiana has more often than not been overlooked and underappreciated for the value it brings to America. The same holds true in recognizing its place in the most disastrous hurricane season in U.S. history.

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GOP Success May Hamper Action on Cybersecurity Bill, Experts Say

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November 23, 2010

GOP Success May Hamper Action on Cybersecurity Bill, Experts Say – CQ Homeland Security
Republican success in the 2010 elections is likely to change the contours of cybersecurity legislation, according to a number of experts, but they also said that Congress again might end up not acting at all.

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DHS official: Stuxnet a "game changer"

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November 19, 2010

DHS official: Stuxnet a “game changer” – Homeland Security Newswire
A highly complex computer attack that may have been targeting Iran’s nuclear power plants is posing a serious security threat to critical infrastructure worldwide, according to government and cyber-industry experts testifying Wednesday on Capitol Hill.

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House bill would give DHS authority over private sector networks

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November 18, 2010

House bill would give DHS authority over private sector networks – Hillicon Valley
A new bill unveiled Wednesday by House Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) would give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to enforce federal cybersecurity standards on private sector companies deemed critical to national security.

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Thad Allen – My Interview and Nomination

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November 18, 2010

Several weeks back, I had the good fortune to interview retired U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen for Faircount Media Group. In our discussion, he reflected on the lessons learned from this year’s Gulf oil spill, as well as his experiences with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and what can only be called an eventful career in public service. The interview is offered below, but in sharing it, I can’t help but feel as we approach the end of the calendar year and hand out honors that there is one more that should be handed out.

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Allen Outlines Disaster Response Lessons for Feds

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November 17, 2010

Allen Outlines Disaster Response Lessons for Feds – CQ Homeland Security
After struggling with Hurricane Katrina and the BP Gulf Coast oil spill, the federal government has learned some choice lessons about disaster response that it is unlikely to ever forget, former Coast Guard commandant Adm. Thad Allen said Tuesday.

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Renewed Calls for Cargo Screening Brings Familiar Obstacles

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November 15, 2010

Renewed Calls for Cargo Screening Brings Familiar Obstacles – CQ Homeland Security
West Virginia Democrat John D. Rockefeller IV, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, took a moment last year during a hearing on post-Sept. 11 security issues to summarize the problem with international cargo security.

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Who Can Protect Us From Major Cyber Attacks?

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November 12, 2010

Who Can Protect Us From Major Cyber Attacks? – Defense Tech
The Pentagon, along with other government entities, has long been wringing its hands on the issue of which government agency should work to protect critical U.S. cyber infrastructure from major cyber attacks. For now, the DoD has indicated that it will focus on protecting military networks.

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Tony Hayward Speaks – We Need to Listen

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November 11, 2010

There are people in life that most folks would like to go away. For me, people like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and their respective train wreck families come to mind. For people on the Gulf Coast, former BP CEO Tony Hayward is undoubtedly in this category. This week, Tony Hayward re-emerged in an interview with the BBC to talk about the lessons learned from the oil spill. I think it is all too easy for any of us to want to discount or ignore his words, but he’s made a choice not to fade away, and I think we should all hear him out.

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Governors Group Publishes Guide to State Homeland Security

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November 10, 2010

Governors Group Publishes Guide to State Homeland Security – HSToday
In the wake of last week’s elections, the National Governors Association (NGA) Monday released a handbook to guide newly elected state governors through setting up and managing state homeland security operations.

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