DHS unveils specialized infrastructure protection plans
Homeland Security chief touts unprecedented coordination between the public and private sectors in developing strategy.
The Homeland Security Department on Monday announced the completion of 17-sector specific plans to support a national infrastructure protection plan.
Most of the nation's critical infrastructure is controlled by the private sector, and for years the department has been after utilities and businesses in areas like telecommunications, information technology, water and energy to devise comprehensive risk-management plans. The years of development included lots of meetings with industry so it could take the lead rather than the government announcing a plan.
Upon announcing completion of the plans, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the consequences of an attack on critical infrastructure could be deadly but added, "At the same time, we must avoid imposing onerous security measures that would damage or make economically impractical the very systems that we're trying to protect."
He praised the security roadmap for its unprecedented coordination among the public and private sectors.