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General Security and Resilience

In Wake of Oroville Incident, GAO Report Recommends Portfolio-Wide Approach to Improve Dam Safety

In February 2017, components of California’s Oroville Dam failed, leading to the evacuation of nearly 200,000 nearby residents. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the federal regulator of the Oroville Dam, as well as over 2,500 other dams associated with nonfederal hydropower projects nationwide, and in the wake of the incident the U.S. Government Accounability Office (GAO) was asked to review FERC’s approach to overseeing dam safety.

White House Announces President Trump’s Intention to Appoint Brian Harrell as DHS Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection

President Donald Trump intends to appoint Brian Harrell to be assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Infrastructure Protection, which leads and coordinates national programs and policies on critical infrastructure security and resilience and has established partnerships across government and the private sector. Mr. Harrell most recently served as managing director of Enterprise Security at the Duke Energy Corporation. Prior to his work at Duke Energy, Mr.

DHS IP Partnership Bulletin Events (November 6, 2018 Edition)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP) has published the latest version of its Partnership Bulletin, which provides a snapshot of upcoming training and exercise opportunities, critical infrastructure events, and key announcements. Some of the events include:

- The annual conference of the International City County Management Association (ICMA), which will be held in Nashville, Tennessee from October 20 to 23, 2019 (the last conferenced, conducted in Baltimore in September 2018, included a session on disaster recovery assessment); 

Security and Resiliency Guide Describes Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Concepts, Common Goals, and Available Assistance

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Bombing Prevention (OBP) has made available the Security and Resiliency Guide, which is intended to help stakeholders take proactive steps to enhance their security and resiliency for potential improvised explosive device (IED) incidents by providing guidance and resources consistent with broader all-hazards preparedness and risk management principles. Developed in partnership with the FBI, the guide integrates the contributions of numerous counter-IED (C-IED) subject matter experts, stakeholders, and professional communities.

America’s Tornado Alley Moving Further East, Study Finds

Over the past few decades, tornadoes have been shifting - decreasing in the “Tornado Alley” of Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas but occurring more in states along the Mississippi River and farther east, according to a new study published in the journal Climate and Atmospheric Science. Tornado activity is increasing most in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and parts of Ohio and Michigan. There has been a slight decrease in the Great Plains, with the biggest drop in central and eastern Texas.

Mild Winter Predicted for Much of U.S.

In a seasonal outlook released late last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated it expects a mild winter for much of the U.S. Areas of the Southeast, Tennesee Valley, and Mid-Atlantic, while warmer-than-normal conditions are expected across much of the northern and western U.S. No part of the U.S. is forecast to experience below-average temperatures. In terms of precipitation, wetter-than-average conditions are favored across the southern tier of the U.S. and into the Mid-Atlantic.

Disaster Recovery Reform Act Emphasizes Pre-Disaster Mitigation

On October 5, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 was signed into law as part of a bill reauthorizing the FAA. The act includes several changes to FEMA’s programs to create an improved focus on pre-disaster mitigation. The act authorizes the National Public Infrastructure Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program. This fund will be capitalized through a six-percent set-aside from the Disaster Relief Fund.

DHS Announces Strategy to Protect the U.S. from Electromagnetic Incidents

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced the release of its  “Strategy for Protecting and Preparing the Homeland against Threats from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) and Geomagnetic Disturbance (GMD).” As discussed in the Strategy’s introduction, extreme electromagnetic incidents caused by an intentional EMP attack or a naturally occurring GMD – also referred to as “space weather” – could damage significant portions of critical infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems.

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