Five energy trade associations have urged White House Office of Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to consolidate responsibility for energy infrastructure security within one government agency as opposed to multiple federal agencies handling it.
"We believe one agency should be given primary responsibility for energy infrastructure security. Currently, several agencies are involved in homeland energy security matters, including the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission," wrote the trade associations under the auspices of the Natural Gas Council.
The American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, Independent Petroleum Association of America, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, and the Natural Gas Supply Association of America signed the Jan. 22 letter.
"To improve coordination and efficiency, prevent overlap, and ensure that each agency involved in homeland energy infrastructure security has a clear understanding of its responsibilities, we believe one agency should be in charge."
Industry representatives said they have no preference as to which government agency should lead the effort. Last fall, DOE said it planned to work with all industry segments on the issue (OGJ Online, Oct. 9, 2001). Nevertheless, industry officials are seeking a more specific directive from the White House on which agency should call the shots.
The trade groups also urged Ridge to give industry preapproved waivers from permitting requirements in situations where facilities are damaged by terrorist activities and the site has been declared a crime scene.
"In such cases, our ability to continue delivering energy depends on quickly and expeditiously replacing our facilities at an alternative site, which can only be done with preapproved permitting waivers," the letter said.
The group also recommended a review of antitrust laws to ensure that, in the event of terrorist attacks on energy facilities and infrastructure, legal safeguards are in place to allow industry coordination, communication, training, and emergency planning-including critical inventory.
The group said that another security item that the White House should consider is to review the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to see whether some information now available to the general public should be restricted. Consicderation should also be given to adopting "common nomenclature" for the many new terms being used in security-related public or private communications, i.e., standards, best practices and procedures, and common definitions for the various alert levels.
The industry groups also asked that US security officials set forth guidelines on what infrastructure information can be available via the internet. Public interest groups meanwhile have said they are skeptical about restricting FOIA in the name of national security. They argued that the president already has the authority to safeguard sensitive information.
