Statement of Larry L. Todd
Director, Security, Safety and Law Enforcement
Bureau of Reclamation
U.S. Department of the Interior
Before the
Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism
Select Committee on Homeland Security
House of Representatives
August 21, 2003
My name is Larry L. Todd. I am Director of Security, Safety and Law Enforcement for the Bureau of Reclamation. Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to be here today to provide this report on what the Bureau of Reclamation is doing to address the security needs of its water and power facilities in the Western United States. Reclamation is responsible for over 350 major dams (including 58 power plants) and reservoirs in the West, and the security and safety of the public, our employees, and our facilities is our highest priority.
Reclamation has a long-standing and effective safety program for public and employee safety, as well as in dam safety. However, our efforts in establishing a separate security program only began in 1995. At that time, we first established the position of Security Officer, performed initial vulnerability assessments at five of our dams, and formalized the emergency action plans exercise program. In subsequent years, we continued to perform more in-house vulnerability assessments at key facilities, developed a database on resulting recommendations for improving security, and implemented site security improvements. These improvements consisted of measures such as ensuring access doors and gates were locked, improving lighting of key areas, and increasing employee security awareness. We also developed continuity of operations plans for all our major offices and developed threat response measures for 4 different alert levels. Reclamation worked closely with other Federal water and power resource agencies through the Interagency Forum on Infrastructure Protection in developing risk assessment tools and sharing technologies, and also participated in the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force to share intelligence information. The coming of the new millennium and the concern over Y2K issues raised our awareness of electronic security. These events resulted in Reclamation contracting with the United States Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories for an IT Security assessment.
Reclamation had various security measures and response plans in place prior to September 11, 2001 (9-11). Those measures were instrumental in our ability to respond quickly and effectively to the events of that tragic day. On 9-11, we immediately implemented high alert levels and threat response measures commensurate with those levels. This program included closing all visitor centers and halting all tours, posting Department of the Interior and State law enforcement officers at major dams on a 24/7 basis, increasing security patrols at all our facilities, and shutting down our web site to review it for sensitive information and to protect potentially sensitive information during the review process. Reclamation’s response activities were closely coordinated within the Department of the Interior, which provided law enforcement assistance. This was necessary since, at that time, Reclamation did not yet have its own law enforcement authority. We began working with the new White House Office of Homeland Security and other Federal infrastructure agencies to share information on potential threats and on response measures being taken, and there were no interruptions in any of our water or power deliveries as a result of the events of 9-11.
In the months following 9-11, Reclamation developed and provided guidance to our regional and area offices on critical considerations such as: addressing chemical, biological, and radiological attacks; ensuring that necessary emergency management actions are taken; protecting and safeguarding information and records; and providing for tourism security, particularly as it relates to international visitors.
Reclamation’s four-level threat-response measures were revised to match the five-color-level alert system established by the Office of Homeland Security. Under these measures, there are specific security steps to be taken at each facility, depending on the type of facility it is, for each of the national threat levels. There are also exact procedures in place for ensuring that, in transitioning from one alert level to the next, certain tasks are met, such as: timely communicating the transition; ensuring that all necessary measures are implemented in a timely manner; and transmitting situation reports to keep management informed of changing conditions. These procedures have been tested and successfully applied on several transitions to date.
In addition to these short-term responses, Reclamation recognized the need to develop a comprehensive long-term security response plan. Key elements of the long term response plan that were developed include: establishing a Security, Safety and Law Enforcement Office; conducting vulnerability and risk assessments at all dams and major facilities; contracting for a top-down security program review by outside experts; implementing Reclamation’s new law enforcement authority in Public Law 107-69, and implementing various informational and personnel security measures and policies.
In 2002, Reclamation Commissioner John W. Keys, III established the Office of Security, Safety and Law Enforcement, and appointed me as the Director reporting directly to the Commissioner. The Office is located in Denver, Colorado and it includes the previously existing occupational safety and health, dam safety, emergency management, and security functions, as well as Reclamation’s new law enforcement function. We have staffed the security and law enforcement functions with in-house expertise and with experts recruited from other agencies. We also created secure office space to effectively deal with classified and controlled documents, and have established secure communication systems.
To facilitate the potential re-opening of the 12 major visitor centers at Reclamation facilities, we contracted with Sandia National Laboratories to conduct security risk assessments at our visitor centers. Following implementation of the recommended security improvements -- which included posting armed guards at visitor centers and on tours, screening visitors, and limiting tour routes -- visitor centers were re-opened to the public and tours were re-initiated.
Under Reclamation’s Safety of Dams program, we have 252 “high and significant hazard” dams, which are facilities where failure could cause loss of life or significant economic damage. Reclamation committed to conducting vulnerability and risk assessments at all those facilities, as well as at 28 other critical facilities, such as power plants, pumping plants, and canals. Using carefully defined key factors to rate each facility, we prioritized all 280 facilities to be assessed. In 2002, Reclamation contracted with security experts at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and five other private security firms, to have our 55 most critical facilities assessed for risk, vulnerability and security. Those assessments were completed in 2002. The recommendations resulting from those assessments were analyzed by Reclamation’s security experts with assistance from experts from the Corps of Engineers and Sandia National Laboratories. These recommendations were then presented to management for development of a final decision document for implementing the accepted recommendations to enhance security procedures and fortify the facilities. Approximately 54% of the nearly 1,400 recommendations resulting from the first 55 risk assessment reports have been implemented to date, and many others are in the process of being implemented. Risk assessments are being initiated in FY 2003 at an additional 101 facilities; the remaining facilities will be assessed in FY 2004.
For example, at Hoover Dam we have made several security related enhancements since 9-11. First, we have enhanced our relationship on security matters with the Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies, including Clark County, Las Vegas Metro Police and the National Park Service. We also maintain a close working relationship with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Intelligence and its Nevada counterpart in sharing relevant intelligence information. Second, we have increased the numbers of Law Enforcement Officers and Security Guards on site, enhanced checkpoints on both the Nevada and Arizona side with lighting and barrier gates, and added lighting and electronic monitoring and surveillance devices at select sites. Third, we have limited traffic across the Dam to passenger vehicles, vans that are easily inspected, and short-haul trucks with permits. All vehicles are subject to random checks. Long-haul trucks are being re-routed via US 95 and Interstate 40. Fourth, we have added physical security upgrades and modified the visitor tour.
A top-down review of Reclamation’s security program was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories in 2002. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the current organization, policies, and processes of Reclamation’s security program and to make recommendations for a mature, sustainable security program. Sandia personnel, as well as members of the Interagency Forum for Infrastructure Protection, reviewed numerous documents and interviewed Reclamation and Interior personnel in developing their findings. The final report was presented to Reclamation’s senior management in June 2003 and they are currently considering the review’s findings and recommendations.
Until the enactment of Public Law 107-69 on November 12, 2001, Reclamation had no law enforcement authority. Public Law 107-69 provided Reclamation with the authority to enforce Federal laws on Reclamation projects and lands and to contract for law enforcement services with other Federal, state, Tribal, or local law enforcement agencies. Following enactment, Reclamation published regulations on public conduct on Reclamation lands and at Reclamation facilities, and on the use of non-Interior law enforcement officers to enforce Federal laws on Reclamation lands. (It should be noted, however, that at Hoover Dam, Reclamation has long had authority under different statutes and regulations to maintain an armed police force.)
Since 9-11, in the area of personnel security, we have put in place a policy requiring background checks of our employees and contractors. This includes identifying additional positions needing security clearances. We have also implemented a policy on restricting and protecting security-sensitive information and have installed perimeter security around our information technology systems.
In FY 2002, Reclamation received $30.2 million in supplemental appropriations for our security and counter-terrorism efforts. That funding was used primarily for guards and surveillance, studies and risk assessments, law enforcement and interim security equipment. In FY 2003, our $28.4 million appropriation for site security/anti-terrorism was increased by $25 million through a supplemental appropriation, for a total of $53.4 million. Those funds are being used for guards and surveillance, including those needed to maintain our continuing heightened state of alert at all our facilities; for additional risk assessments at key facilities; for further implementation of our law enforcement program; for law enforcement and security equipment; and for hardening our facilities through the implementation of recommendations in the completed vulnerability risk assessments.
In conclusion, I believe Reclamation has made considerable progress to date in ensuring our dams and other facilities are more secure today than they were on September 11, 2001. However, we recognize that a great deal of work still needs to be done as more risk assessments are completed, more recommendations are accepted for implementation, and new vulnerabilities and new threats are discovered. Reclamation remains fully committed to the safety and security of the public, our employees, and our water and power facilities which provide these vital resources to much of the West.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my prepared remarks and I stand ready to address any questions the Committee may have.