Infrastructure protection

Teenager drills a hole in ammonia pipeline, forcing evacuation
Three teenagers believed money was hidden in 6-inch-diameter ammonia pipeline, so they drilled a hole in it; cloud of amonia forces evacuation, road closure
- Read more
White House plans to weaken CFIUS security review powers
DHS, Justice, the Pentagon, and the U.S. intelligence community oppose the merger of 3Com and Huawei Technology, arguing it will bolster Chinese military computer network attack operations; the White House plans to issue presidential order which would undermine the law designed to tighten security review of foreign companies, thus allowing the merger to go through
- Read more

North Korea argues it had no plan to enrich uranium for weapons
Another potential embarrassment for U.S. intelligence: North Korea says it will prove that it never had the plans or the means to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons
- Read more
FLIR expanding Gulf presence
FLIR’s sensor technology, used in border protection and perimeter defense, among other applications, has won the company several hefty contracts in the Gulf region; company eager to build on its success
- Read more

New York contests power transmission corridor ruling
In April the Department of Energy designated a large swath of New York State part of a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor; the state government challenges the designation
- Read more
Book shows importance of geospatial technology in homeland security
Geographic information system (GIS) technology proves to be of growing importance in protecting the nation from natural disasters, diseases, and terrorist threats
- Read more

More tools for preplanning, premapping emergency response
Emergency preparedness software gives first responders a better view of the rescue scene with new mapping technologies
- Read more
FitzPatrick nuclear power station
Upstate New York nuclear power plant shut down for the third time in two months owing to wind blowing debris into the plant’s water intake
- Read more

DHS relaxes chemical plant reporting rules
In April DHS issues a list of 344 hazardous chemicals which businesses would have to track and disclose to the department through an online reporting system; under pressure from several industries, the list is reduced to 300, and reporting threshold of many chemicals of highest security concern raised
- Read more
North Korea to dismantle nuclear weapon capability
U.S. nuclear experts today begin supervising the North’s main nuclear complex at Yongbyon
- Read more

Bush administration's nuclear waste reprocessing plan criticized
Reprocessing spent nuclear fuel creates more fuel for nuclear plants, and reduces the need for nuclear waste storage; trouble is, reprocessing also creates weapons-grade plutonium; Bush administration believes there is a new, safer reprocessing method, but a panel of scientists says there is not, and until there is, the U.S. should continue to oppose reprocessing
- Read more
DARPA-funded UCSD research yields world's most complex phased array
Tritons researchers develop world’s most complex phased array; the 16-element chip is just 3.2 by 2.6 square millimeters, can send at 30-50 GHz
- Read more

States battle rise in copper thefts
New threat to U.S. infrastructure: Wave of copper theft; DOE estimates that losses to businesses hover around $1 billion; states pass tougher laws to stem the tide
- Read more
Honduran authorities detect Cesium-137 in container at port
Puerto Cortes, Honduras, was declared a safe port by the United States more than a year ago — and the designation proved correct: Last Sunday radiation detectors at the port detected high doses of radiation in a container (it turned out to be medical stuff used in sterilization of equipment)
- Read more
TWIC inches forward, but legislators criticize missed deadlines
Employees at Wilmington, Delaware port were the first to enroll in TWIC last month; this month, employees in eleven additional ports will begin enrollment; still, program delays are met with a bipartisan chorus of criticism on the Hill
- Read more

More headlines