Nuclear Power Plants to Provide Own Security

New Jersey is withdrawing state security details at its three nuclear power plants, saying the plants’ operators will now provide security.

Since October 2001, the Oyster Creek plant in Forked River and the Salem and Hope Creek plants in Salem County have been patrolled by State Police and New Jersey National Guard security details. (WNYC)

Homeland Security report predicts terror threats over next 5 years

A new Homeland Security review forecasts the terror threat to the U.S. over the next five years.

Among other things, the report predicts that terrorists will try a destructive biological attack on the U.S. during that time. The internal assessment was obtained by The Associated Press. (WTOL)

Cyber War Games Confirm Flaws in US Security

After participating in a two day cyber war simulation last week, government and industry officials said that the United States is ill-equipped to cope with a major attack against computer networks Reuters reports.

The cyber war game brought together 230 representatives of government agencies, private companies and other groups, and revealed failings in leadership, planning, and communications. (RWW)

DHS End-of-Year Accomplishments

More than seven years without an attack on U.S. soil is a testament to this department’s 218,000 employees, the intelligence community and the nation’s first responders and law enforcement officers. (DHS Fact Sheet)

DHS Announces $34 Million in FY 2009 Emergency Operations Center Grants

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today opened the application period for approximately $34 million under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) Grant Program. These grants are intended to improve state, local and tribal emergency management and preparedness capabilities by supporting flexible, sustainable, secure and interoperable Emergency Operations Centers. (DHS)

Be prepared for winter emergencies, says Homeland Security

As a winter storm approaches the area, The Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign today urged Ridgefielders to be on alert and is reminding them about the importance of taking preemptive measures to prepare for an emergency situation.

“It is critical that people in your area take steps to prepare,” said Becky Marquis, deputy director of the Ready Campaign. (Ridgefield Press)

DHS wants green card holders’ fingerprints

Millions of green card holders will be fingerprinted and photographed every time they enter the United States as part of an expansion of a controversial biometric program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Thursday.

The expansion of the US-VISIT program to permanent residents–also known as green card holders–takes effect on January 18, 2009. At the moment, the program’s biometric requirements apply to foreign citizens with a non-immigrant visa or those traveling as part of the so-called Visa Waiver program. (CNET)

LAPD database hailed as breakthrough in preventing terrorism

The Los Angeles Police Department has pioneered a low-tech system for logging suspicious activity to look for patterns that could indicate terrorism — a system that Washington, D.C., police are adopting in the run-up to Inauguration Day. LAPD uses standardized labels to create a database of suspicious behavior, enabling analysts to “connect the dots” before an attack can take place. “Once this matures, I think this will be part of the homeland-security lifeblood,” says the police commander in Chicago, one of 12 cities and states moving to adopt the system. (WSJ)

New security rules OK’d for nuclear power plants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday approved new security rules for nuclear power plants, including measures aimed at better protecting against potential cyberattacks.

For years in the making, the rules update requirements first imposed in emergency orders after the Sept. 11 attacks. But watchdog groups have criticized the agency for not going far enough. (AP)

As one threat fades, another may come in

With just a month left before he leaves office, President Bush and his administration can claim credit for having successfully defended this country from another terrorist attack. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said as much in a recent interview with USA TODAY’s editorial board. But the secretary, who has run the department since 2005, also noted the dangers that lie ahead, including the possibility of a nuclear, chemical or biological attack on U.S. soil. What about airport security, for which he is responsible? The border fence and immigration control, which also falls under his purview? Chertoff discussed these issues and others. (USA Today)

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