A Publication by the ASCE Committee on Critical Infrastructure (CCI)
Mathew Francis, P.E., M.ASCE, Editor-In-Chief

CCI Blog: http://www.ascecriticalinfrastructure.org/

To view all archived issues of the CRIB Sheet, visit: http://ciasce.asce.org/CRIBSheetArchives.html

Message from the Editor

The September mortgage crisis and meltdown on Wall Street placed the banking and finance sector clearly in the forefront of critical infrastructure to the American public. While the operation of this sector is largely outside the domain of civil engineering, its repercussions on project finance and the general economy dramatically affect the civil engineering marketplace. As with the spring floods, the summer hurricanes and the ongoing energy crunch, it is difficult to explore any critical infrastructure sector without discussing interrelationships between sectors and between physical nodes and systems operations.

The need for resilience in mortgage systems operations is now evident in our 401k accounts, and with government assuming shares within major financial institutions, the need for engineers in elected office who uphold our ethical canons is greater than ever. As we consider this years’ elections, wouldn’t we rather have had sober minded systems engineers in charge of regulating the reliability of mortgage lending practices. Perhaps engineers can develop robust virtual analogies of structural resilience to help sort though the financial mess. Or how about Wall Street reforms modeled after digital infrastructure resilience tools from IT and SCADA security, given that October is DHS National Cyber Security Awareness month.

Systems operations for both the national economy and for national security operations combine with national civil infrastructure to form what in my view is a “three legged stool” from which to build national resilience via the DHS sectors. All three legs are needed for a stable system. Civil engineers need to be sure we are lifting our share of the load in advocating and building more resilient systems such as using dispersed geography, unlike the clustered oil production facilities of the gulf with are still only 50% operational following Ike and Gustav. For both physical and systems resilience, we should insist upon applying the historical hallmarks of engineering economy where physical resilience has long been a fundamental metric in selecting materials to design resistance to seen and unforeseen impacts.

-Mathew Francis, PE, M.ASCE

mathew_francis@urscorp.com

National / International Update

Call For Entries: 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure Photo and Video Contest

All Hazards Management Study to explore the extent and effectiveness of relationships between U.S. airports and non-airport EMAs

National Academies report to look at major infrastructure challenges in the US Federal Times

DOD overlooks key disaster security issues, GAO says, in new Integrated Command Center

Congressional commission recommends moving cybesecurity from DHS to the White House

America ’s counterterrorism community warning that Al Qaeda may launch more overseas operations during October New York Sun

Business Civic Leadership Center promotes Re-engineering Nation's Disaster Response Process

UN calls on private sector to do more to support infrastructure of developing countries Reuters

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) publishes lessons from disasters

World Vision publishes report: Preparing Coastal Communities in Asia for Future Catastrophes

Toronto plans massive 25yr $50B transit project to start in 2009 Daily Commercial News

Geothermal energy provides 28% of power in Philippines The Washington Post

New public blog on critical infrastructure

New book published - Maritime Security: An Introduction

The Infrastructure Security Partnership names William B. Anderson as new Director

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey hold joint summit to better plan for flooding disasters Chicago Tribune

DHS/FEMA Blurbs:

October is 5th National Cyber Security Awareness Month, kicked off by DHS Assistant Secretatry Greg Garcia

DHS Secretary Chertoff presents 2008-2013 DHS strategic plan

DHS (EMR-ISAC) The Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Process Job Aid is a guide to assist leaders of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) with the process of critical infrastructure protection (CIP).

DHS $94M Information Network (HSIN) launched in 2004 to be replaced

DHS grants $63 Million under new EOC and Interoperable Emergency Communication Program

DHS Charles Allen testifies on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk

10th Annual United States Coast Guard and Harbor Safety Committee Conference presentations online

Water Utilities First To Measure Security Progress Under Plan

State/Local News:

Port Authority of NY and NJ revises WTC timetables and cost estimates The Star-Ledger (NJ)

New York City harnesses tidal power with East River turbines The Boston Globe

California funds $43B bonds for infrastructure construction Los Angeles Times

Utilities trending away from coal power generation USA TODAY

Galveston seeks $2B in federal funds for Hurricane Ike damages The New York Times

Los Angeles TRB Marine Board Sep. 2008 disaster workshop presentations available online

NJ to power 800,000 homes with offshore wind by 2020 Philadelphia Inquirer

California enters ‘09 water year vulnerable to shortages and rationing Contra Costa Times

Oklahoma approves $4B for expressway and replacement of 449 bridges Joplin Globe

Legislative Update

House passes $61 B economic stimulus package that includes funds for infrastructure Traffic World

Read more about the package at ASCE government relations blog: Our Failing Infrastructure

Congress withholds funding for conditions on DHS spending

Politicians look at public-private partnerships to finance infrastructure costs Reuters

State and local governments struggle to borrow cash for projects The Washington Post

Alaska legislature authorizes risk study of aging oil and gas infrastructure along trans-Alaska pipeline, Valdez port, and North Slope and Cook Inlet fields Juneau Empire

Rhode Island legislature short $300M/yr for bridge repair fund Providence Journal

Texas likely to issue $1.5B in bonds to keep projects on schedule Dallas Morning News

Virginia legislative cuts to go beyond $1.1B in road and transit projects Washington Post

ASCE congressional vote scorecard updated in time for fall campaign season (ASCE Members Only)

Critical Infrastructure Sector Focus: Banking and Finance

Lead Government Agency: US Department of Treasury (DOE)

Primary Civil Engineering Applications: Buildings, Project Finance

DHS Critical Infrastructure Banking and Finance Sector Specific Plan available online.

18 Tough Questions (and Answers) About the Mortgage Bailout.

Economic crisis renews call for infrastructure resiliency to pursue economic revitalization and homeland security

Financial crisis may delay oil and natural-gas exploration projects because of reduced capital spending Houston Chronicle

States put public road and building construction projects on hold as economy sours

Large-scale renewable-energy projects fare better in sour economy than small-scale projects that have to rely on banks for financing Reuters

Hawaii delays $625m bond sale due to the Wall Street crisis The Honolulu Advertiser

Financial crisis makes banks more vulnerable to targeted spear-phishing attacks

RSS Feeds from DHS:
Department of Homeland Security News
Department of Homeland Security Press Releases
Department of Homeland Security Speeches
Department of Homeland Security Testimony

Department of Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report

RSS Feeds from FirstGov.gov:
All Cyber Alert System Documents
Cyber Security Tips from US-CERT
Non-Technical Cyber Alert System Documents
Security Incidents Currently Being Reported to the US-CERT
Technical Cyber Alert System Documents

Committee News

CCI is sponsoring The Disaster Experience as a pre-conference workshop at the ASCE 138th Annual Civil Engineering Conference on Thursday, November 6, 2008 in Pittsburgh, PA. This highly interactive workshop has been designed to place participants in the throes of a real-life disaster situation, as it unfolds. Participants will make the critical decisions any organization will have to make and deal with the consequences of those decisions. Participants will also benefit from a special presentation on Performing Multi-Hazards Risk Assessments. At the completion of the session, attendees will understand the importance of planning in advance for different disaster or other business disruptions.

Preparedness Tip of the Month

As a civil engineer working in your community, you're more attuned than typical residents to the area's infrastructure challenges. Which ones are of greatest concern? Share them by taking an online survey that will help ASCE ready its 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. The survey is your way of telling us what ought to be emphasized in the new Report Card, whether the biggest problems in your community are in roads, transit, the energy grid, wastewater or other areas. The survey is open to ASCE members only; take it by clicking here. Your personal information will not be shared.

Calendar of Events

October, 2008 — "Liquid Assets" documentary now airing, produced by Penn State.

October 23-25, 2008 —International Workshop on Frontier Technologies for Infrastructure Engineering. Taipei, Taiwan

October 26, 2008 — U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Region III Emergency Preparedness and Prevention & HazMat Spills Conference 2008, Richmond, VA

October 29, 2008 — TISP Forum on the Security of Water and Wastewater Critical Infrastructure, Washington, DC

October 29- 31, 2008 — 10th Annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Exposition, Chicago, IL

November 6-8, 2008 — ASCE Annual Conference hosts a course on critical infrastructure, Pittsburgh, PA

November 11-14, 2008 — Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Rebuilding (PIANC) Mobile, AL

November 12-14, 2008— International Earth Quake Conference in LA IECLA, held in conjunction with ShakeOut, the large earthquake drill in US history, Los Angeles, CA

November 16-19, 2008—ASCE EWRI International Low Development Course, Seattle, WA

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The CRIB Sheet, a monthly eNewsletter sponsored by the ASCE Committee on Critical Infrastructure, features updates on critical infrastructure news as well as related resources. If this eNewsletter was forwarded to you and you wish to receive future editions directly, click below to subscribe or visit http://ciasce.asce.org/MonthlyBulletin.html. If you received this eNewsletter directly from ASCE, you are already subscribed and do not need to take any further action to continue receiving the CRIB Sheet.

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Chair: Paul F. Mlakar, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Staff: Catherine M. Tehan