N.O. Leadership lacking, report says

N.O. leadership lacking, report says
Housing shortage also hindering recovery, it says
Times-Picayune, April 25, 2007, By Bill Barrow

BATON ROUGE -- A failure of local leadership and a lack of affordable housing are primary reasons that New Orleans trails many other Gulf Coast communities in storm and flood recovery, according to a new report.

The report, issued jointly by the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana and the Rockefeller Institute of Government, is the second in an ongoing analysis of 22 locales that were affected -- in some cases positively -- by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Overall, the report describes regionwide recovery as "uneven," with the progress of each local area dependent on how effective leaders have been in making decisions; how badly its business and economic infrastructure was damaged; and how quickly it has been able to get state and federal aid.

See entire article.

5,000 Evacuated After Chlorine Leak in Northeast China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-04-25 16:43

Five thousand people have been evacuated after a chlorine leak in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, officials with the local government said on Wednesday.

See article here.

The future competitiveness of the infrastructure system presents an engineering leadership challenge

The USA’s infrastructure systems have deteriorated to the point where this country’s future economic competitiveness is in jeopardy and our elected officials, who are entrusted with safeguarding our nation’s future, have ignored the warnings. Our elected officials’ failure to maintain and improve upon the system inherited from the prior generation can be traced to a lack of political will, the influence of special interest groups, the absence of market-based decision making, and – most specifically and significantly – the use of earmarks, otherwise known as pork barrel politics. Reversing or even arresting the decline of infrastructure systems will require creative solutions and visionary leadership from the engineering community.

In this context, there are two readily-apparent ways for engineers to effect change. First, engineers need to position themselves better by seeking public office, which would provide them with proximity and access to the legislative process. Second, in order to help Congress to better understand technology transfers and complex scientific principles before implementing new policies, the engineering discipline should actively recruit and pitch its professionals for placement on lawmaker and committee staffs. This second tactic is likely to require a cultural shift in the engineering profession. Talented engineers will not readily pursue alternative but important career paths if they think that their work will be dismissed or devalued by the profession, including its societies and licensing boards. Likewise, lawmakers and committees are unlikely to understand the benefits of having engineers on their staffs and deferring to their judgment on important social issues without a significant public relations campaign. The stakes are high enough, however, that extreme measures are necessary.

Join the CCI Port Infrastructure Blog

The ASCE Committee on Critical Infrastructure (CCI) invites your participation in the Port Infrastructure discussions at the Critical Infrastructure Blog. Post a comment here to get started. For additional information, contact Doug Sethness at doug.sethness@ch2m.com.

New GAO Port Risk Assessment Evaluation Available

This is a site for the GAO publication number GAO-07-412 on Port Risk Assessment published March 28, 2007.

This report was prepared under the authority of the Comptroller General to examine (1) challenges port authorities have experienced as a result of recent natural disasters, (2) efforts under way to address these challenges, and (3) the manner in which port authorities plan for natural disasters. GAO reviewed documents and interviewed various port stakeholders from 17 major U.S. ports.

Is Infrastructure Sector Nomenclature Confusing?

The description of the nation's critical infrastructure on the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card is different from the designated list of critical infrastructure and key assets found in Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 7 and a multitude of DHS plans and operating directives (such as the NIPP, NRP, and NIMS). While the difference is understandable since the nomenclature evolved on two separate tracks, is the situation causing unnecessary confusion? Should there be an effort to establish a common reference the critical infrastructure and if so, what makes the most sense?

DHS Releases Comprehensive Regulations for Securing High Risk Chemical Facilities

Release Date April 2, 2007--The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today released an interim final rule that imposes for the first time comprehensive federal security regulations for high risk chemical facilities. The department sought and reviewed comments from state and local partners, Congress, private industry, and the public to develop consistent guidelines using a risk-based approach. The new rule gives the department authority to seek compliance through the imposition of civil penalties, of up to $25,000 per day, and the ability to shut non-compliant facilities down. A Press Release was also issued.

Our Aging Infrastructure: It's Not Sexy, But it IS Critical...

Bob Herbert of the New York Times writes about the consequences of neglecting our infrastructure. What will it take to fix it?

'Lautenberg Language' On Chemical Security Passes Senate

States' Right To Adopt Strong Chemical Security Laws Like NJ's Protected

On Thursday, March 29, 2007, the Senate passed the FY 2007 Supplemental Appropriations Bill with a provision authored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to block the Bush Administration's plan to preempt state chemical security laws.

The "Lautenberg language" overcame a vigorous campaign from chemical industry lobbyists who fought the ability of states to enact stronger laws than the federal government.

New chemical rules won't override states

AP reporter Beverley Lumpkin writes on August 1, 2007 that new federal rules giving the Bush administration authority for the first time to regulate and even shut down chemical plants will not overrule stricter state rules already in place, according to a letter sent Sunday to lawmakers by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Rules for New Jersey or any other state that are tougher than the federal ones will be "grandfathered in"—that is, will not be overridden, according to Chertoff's letter.

"If a state measure to regulate security at high-risk facilities does not conflict with, interfere with, hinder, or frustrate the purpose of DHS's regulations, it would not be pre-empted," Chertoff wrote. Lumpkin writes that Lautenberg was not mollified. "Rather than let New Jersey and other states move forward defending our communities from attacks on our chemical facilities, the Bush administration is trying to freeze us in our tracks," said Scott Mulhauser, a spokesman for Lautenberg.