Pipeline projects deliver energy and jobs

Before Pennsylvania can take its place as a global energy leader, it must continue to build out the infrastructure necessary to transport these resources safely and efficiently. For our commonwealth to truly benefit, the development of this critical infrastructure can and should be a local, collaborative effort (“A New Job Pipeline for Steelworkers,” Dec. 27 Forum).

By employing thousands of Pennsylvanians to safely deliver energy to our communities, pipeline projects will have a lasting impact on our state’s economy. Furthermore, the quality of life enjoyed by residents will be preserved as pipelines represent the safest, most efficient way to transport energy.

Utilizing local trades on pipeline infrastructure ensures that the most qualified and best trained professionals are hired for the work. We live in the communities that these pipelines will serve, and we take great pride in knowing that our work will meet and exceed state and federal regulation safety requirements. For the full article click here 

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Randy Baumgardner: Focused approach to transportation needs

As your state senator, I have been very busy this fall and early winter. The Colorado Assembly’s formal session begins every January and lasts into the first part of May but the work of the critical committees that make up the structure of your state government go on year around.

I was honored to be designated vice-chair of the Transportation Legislation Review Committee last year and then chairman this year. Early in December, I chaired this joint house and senate committee in Denver.

At that meeting the Colorado Department of Transportation presented its funding challenges. CDOT offered its solutions on how to proceed for the coming year. Our roads are a critical piece of Colorado’s infrastructure, and the discussions centered on highway repairs, paving and many other important topics. For the full article click here 

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Why carbon cash grabs fail

Any political leader — such as Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley — who imposes a carbon pricing scheme on Canadians that is not 100% revenue neutral, is not interested in reducing man-made global warming.

She, or he, is interested in a cash grab from the public, which isn’t surprising since both the Ontario and Alberta governments are deeply in the red.

A similar debate is underway in B.C., where Premier Christy Clark and NDP opposition leader John Horgan differ on what should be done with monies raised from any future increases to B.C.’s $30-per-tonne carbon tax. For the full article click here 

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Letters: Investment in inventive infrastructure projects can end Britain’s flooding problems

SIR – In 1943, J F Pownall proposed the construction of a Grand Contour Canal running down the length of England at 310ft above sea level, connecting Newcastle, Liverpool, Bristol, London and other cities. The purpose was to provide a conduit for transmitting water from the wetter North to the drier South, and for barge traffic.

There would be no locks except at the connections down to sea level. The canal would be 100ft wide and 17ft deep and would be able to take a flow of 2,000 cubic ft per second.

There does not appear to be any reason why a scheme based on Mr Pownall’s idea could not be implemented now to intercept rivers flowing from catchments at more than 310ft above sea level, divert the flood flow away from the towns and villages below, and discharge either direct to the sea or to a river elsewhere in the country which was not in flood. For the full article click here 

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Cyber at Sea: House-Passed Legislation Signals Focus on Maritime Cybersecurity

Recent developments in the United States suggest that cybersecurity of the maritime sector will come under increasing focus in 2016.  On December 16, 2015, H.R. 3878, “Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act of 2015,” passed the House of Representatives. The Bill’s language echoes and expands upon recommendations made by the General Accountability Audit’s June 5, 2014 study Maritime Port Cybersecurity. It also reflects congressional focus on enabling cybersecurity information sharing as seen in the recent passage of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA). (Indeed, but for the lack of a Senate companion bill, H.R. 3878 might otherwise have been included in the budget package in which CISA was enacted.)

The importance of a secure maritime sector is well understood. Ninety percent of global commerce moves by sea; approximately three quarters of U.S. commerce moves through ports and waterways, amounting to over $1.3 trillion in cargo annually. Cyber-based risk is now a significant concern. Many ports are highly automated, creating potential vulnerabilities to cyber attack. And, many modern vessels and their critical systems, such as propulsion systems, can send and receive data from shore-based facilities thousands of miles away. Disruption of trade, damage to physical property or persons, and even silent intelligence gathering to support smuggling operations or other objectives, are among the cyber risks facing the maritime sector. For the full article click here 

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Commercial priority-service offerings promise to be eye-opening to carriers, public safety, critical infrastructure

During the past few months, the two largest U.S. wireless carriers—Verizon and AT&T—each have announced offerings that would enable enterprise, public-safety and critical-infrastructure customers to have their packets prioritized over normal consumer traffic, even during times of severe network congestion. Such offerings have raised eyebrows throughout the wireless community and could have significant implications in the near future.

There is little question that there is a market demand for such services. Many enterprises have business-critical applications that must run smoothly and efficiently—time is money, and any delay in operations can have a negative impact on the bottom line. For public-safety and critical-infrastructure entities, the stakes are even higher, as their successful operations can mean the difference between life and death for many.

Despite this market demand for such priority-service offerings, their announcement caught many off guard. After all, the carriers had long said that would not prioritize public-safety traffic, because doing so could result in regular consumer customers not receiving the kind of network performance they expect. It was a major talking point that public-safety representatives repeated on Capitol Hill as they spent years lobbying for legislation that resulted in the establishment of FirstNet. For the full article click here 

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GAO Criticizes DHS’ Efforts to Track Effectiveness of Cybersecurity Outreach

The Department of Homeland Security is not doing enough to measure the effectiveness of its outreach efforts to promote cybersecurity for critical infrastructure in the United States, according to a government watchdog.

The report, from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), found that although DHS has taken steps to promote the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST)framework for improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity, it is not using specific metrics to track how effectively those efforts are taking root.

Adopting the NIST Framework

The NIST framework, developed in 2014, is designed to “provide a flexible and risk-based approach for entities within the nation’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors to protect their vital assets from cyber-based threats,” according to the GAO. Those sectors are chemical, commercial facilities, communications, critical manufacturing, dams, the defense industrial base, emergency services, energy, financial services, food and agriculture, government facilities, healthcare and public health, IT, nuclear reactors and materials, transportation systems, and water and wastewater systems. For the full article click here 

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How to Fix America’s Infrastructure

Fixing America’s decrepit infrastructure shouldn’t be controversial—it enhances competitiveness, creates jobs, and helps the environment. And of course, it protects the public. Repairing unsafe conditions is a critical priority: More than half of fatal vehicle accidents in the United States are due in part to poor road conditions.

After years of dithering, Washington is finally showing a little life for the task. Congress recently passed a $305 billion highway bill to fund basic maintenance for five years. But the highway bill is pretty anemic—it barely covers road-repair costs and does nothing to modernize other infrastructure. The total investment needed through the end of this decade is actually $1.7 trillion, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Further, the highway bill does nothing to remove the bureaucratic jungle that makes these projects so slow and costly.

But these two failures—meager funding and endless process—may actually point the way to a potential grand bargain that could transform the U.S. economy: In exchange for Democrats getting rid of nearly endless red tape, Republicans would agree to raise taxes to modernize America’s infrastructure. For the full article click here 

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Former California official proposes new water bond

A former California state official is proposing a new water bond.

The Secretary of State’s office on Monday announced approval of a proposed initiative for the November ballot that asks voters to authorize general obligation bonds for water supply infrastructure projects. The proposal is authored by Gerald Meral, the former deputy secretary of the state’s Natural Resources Agency.

Meral has 180 days to collect the signatures of 365,880 registered voters in order to qualify it for the November 2016 ballot.

The following petition language was approved by the Secretary of State For the full article click here 

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Utilities Board Special Session 2 p.m. Today

The Board of Public Utilities meets at 2  p.m. today in Council Chambers to approve an amendment to the agreement with AESI-US for $246,000 to develop an Internal North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Compliance Program to meet the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Version 5 requirements and provide additional training and support in preparing compliance evidence.

NERC is the regulatory authority with jurisdiction for electric production and transmission systems that are part of the Los Alamos Power Pool (LAPP).  New regulations governing critical infrastructure protection (CIP) have been implemented and require facilities operated by the LAPP to comply with the new regulations by April of 2016 or face regulatory action.

A third-party was hired to perform a gap analysis on LAPP’s infrastructure and administrative practices and make recommendations on what is needed to meet the upcoming regulations related to cyber security titled CIP 5. The operating committee for LAPP agreed to divide up the tasks necessary to meet the new compliance standards.

 

Based on the gap analysis finding, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) took the lead with upgrading the Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system software and hardware, since the County owns the equipment. DPU also took the lead with the development of policies and procedures to be reviewed and approved by LAPP representatives.   For the full article click here 

 

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Iowa Gov. Branstad Pushes for New Strategy to Combat Cyberattacks Against State

Last week, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad directed the state’s top IT and emergency management agencies to develop a comprehensive strategy by next July to defend Iowa from and respond to cyberattacks. Declaring cybersecurity a “top priority,” Branstad issued an executive orderthat will “update Iowa’s emergency response plan to better deal with the physical consequences of a cyberattack against the state’s critical infrastructure,” as the governor said in a statement.

The order directs the state Office of the Chief Information Officer, the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Iowa National Guard, the Public Safety Department and the Iowa Communications Network to work together and with other agencies to submit a cybersecurity strategy to Branstad by July 1, 2016. For the full article click here 

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City has big infrastructure plans for coming year

The city of Athens in 2016 should see a variety of work completed on city infrastructure projects, including an extension of the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway out to Columbus Road, and design work on a large-scale East State Street project (which could start construction in 2017).

In 2015, the city undertook a slew of infrastructure improvements: Work is now almost complete on the city wastewater treatment plant, one of the most-expensive renovation projects in city history (around $18 million), while work finished earlier this year on the long-awaited Richland Avenue road rehabilitation (costing around $5 million).

The city also completed various street repaving and sidewalk repairs, including sidewalks on Central Avenue, South May Street and North Congress Street, which generated controversy earlier this year because of costs assessed to abutting property owners. For the full article click here 

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2015 IN REVIEW: Dry summer puts pressure on irrigation projects

Irrigation has had some great wins in 2015. But developing infrastructure is a slow moving beast and primary production in many parts of the country will suffer yet another dry summer without the certainty water storage could bring.

Great strides have been made in policy direction. But concerns still remain around how farmers will practically manage their nutrient run-off, mitigate other environmental impacts on-farm and then still be expected to afford access to reliable water for irrigation.

The fourth Land and Water Forum Report, released in November, includes recommendations that make the case for central funding of environmental infrastructure such as water storage and wetlands. For the full article click here 

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Italy to fund major Iraqi infrastructure projects

Italy is set to provide a $2.72 million fund to a United Nations agency to support the stability of Iraq and boost its civil infrastructure, said a report.

The grant is a part of an Italian pledge of $7.63 million to support the activities of stabilisation, which have been expended recently in Salahuddin, Diyala, Nineveh and Anbar provinces, reported theiraqinews.com, citing a UN statement.

The Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilization (FFIS) managed by UNDP aims to support rehabilitating civil infrastructure, launching of local economy and boosting the government’s capacities as well as promoting community reconciliation in Iraq, the report stated. For the full article click here 

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Rye Brook Dam Cyber Breach in 2013 Reported

Did you catch this story right before Christmas?

Apparently the Bowman Avenue Dam in Rye Brook, which is owned by the City of Rye and controls water with a computer-operated gate on the Blind Brook, was the victim of an Iranian cyber-security hack two years ago, and local officials say they were not informed.

Officials say that while the hackers never took control of the small dam, they were able to penetrate the electronics system.

US Senator Charles Schumer said that the cyber-attack “points to potential vulnerabilities to cyber-attack of our critical infrastructure including dams, sensitive industrial systems and power grids.” For the full article click here 

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State budget for 2016 foresees UAH 5.9 bln for investment projects in regions – Zubko

The general fund of the national budget for 2016 foresees UAH 3 billion for the State Fund for Regional Development and UAH 1.94 billion for the socio-economic development of the regions of Ukraine.

These data were voiced by the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Services, with reference to Vice Prime Minister, Regional Development Minister Hennadiy Zubko.

“As a result, this totals UAH 4.94 billion, which is more than the amount provided previously, namely UAH 4.64 billion. But the main thing is subventions to support the infrastructure projects of united territorial communities in the amount of UAH 1 billion,” Zubko said.

According to him, these funds will be spent on supporting united territorial communities, as well as developing infrastructure and administrative centers in the communities next year. For the full article click here 

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China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank formally established

BEIJING – The China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which has been established with support of 56 countries, was Friday formally established here and is expected to start operation next month.

“The AIIB is legally established as the Articles of Agreement take effect today,” China’s Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said in a televised statement.

Articles of Agreement outline the financial share of each founding member as well as rules for policymaking, governance structure and business and operational systems for the bank.

The bank’s formal establishment transpired after 17 funding members of the AIIB, accounting for just over 50 percent of its authorised capital of US$ 100 billion and subscribed capital of US$ 50 billion, ratified the agreement.

To be based in Beijing, AIIB will invest in sectors including energy, transportation, urban construction and logistics as well as education and healthcare.

Expectations are high for the new global multilateral financial institution, which will operate in an open, fair and efficient manner, AIIB’s president-designate Jin Liqun told Xinhua. For the full article click here 

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Wika aims for 20% contract growth in 2016

Despite the inability to reach its targets for this year, construction company PT Wijaya Karya (Wika) remains confident that massive government infrastructure projects in 2016 will help bolster the company’s sluggish 2015 performance.

Wika corporate secretary Suradi Wongso said recently that his company would not be able to meet this year’s target for new contracts valued at Rp 31.64 trillion (US$2.31 billion). To date, only Rp 20.04 trillion has been collected so far.

Suradi said his company expected to close the year with a maximum of Rp 25 trillion in new contracts in its order book, aided by a number of projects currently in the tender process. –For the full article click here 

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Schumer calls for critical infrastructure review

A recent cyberattack at a dam in in downstate New York prompted Democratic U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer on Wednesday to call for a more thorough investigation of America’s critical infrastructure.

During a visit to the flood-control dam located roughly 20 miles north of New York City, Schumer encouraged federal homeland security officials to investigate computer hacking into systems following the release of a report that found Iranian hackers targeted the dam’s control system two years ago.

Schumer suggested the Iranians’ interest in the dam highlighted the risk to water systems, rail lines, industrial systems and power grids not only in New York, but across the country. For the full article click here 

 

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Meet This Year’s Best Industrial ETF

It has been a rough year for industrial stocks and exchange traded funds. The S&P 500’s fifth-largest sector weight and the second-largest in the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been stung by the strong dollar and slumping oil prices among other factors.

Those factors and more have sent the Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF(XLI

), the largest exchange traded fund tracking the industrial sector, down 3.5 percent year-to-date. However, not industrial ETFs have been duds this year. Take the PowerShares Dynamic Building & Construction Portfolio (PKB) for example. That ETF is up nearly 12 percent, making it the best-performing industrial ETF   on the year. For the full article click here 

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Commodity Slump Dims 2016 Project Finance Outlook

Law360, New York (December 24, 2015, 8:38 PM ET) — Plenty of energy and infrastructure projects moved from conception to fruition in 2015 even as oil prices sagged, but with oil and other commodities not expected to rebound anytime soon, experts are bracing for an overall decline in project development despite the renewable sector getting a boost from recently enacted climate and clean energy polices.

Concerns over commodities prices translates to nervous banks and other lenders, who will likely d emand that developers put up more of their own equity in order to secure the needed financing… For the full article click here 

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Flood standard protects property and lives

The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard: Protecting lives, property, and the Environment:
Let’s Protect Our Critical Infrastructure Investments
It was just five years ago when an incredible amount of rain forced the Cumberland River out of its banks and into Clarksville’s downtown area.  Many businesses and homes suffered many millions of dollars in damages, and the Clarksville Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) was severely damaged.

The flood damage forced the construction of a new waste water treatment plant.  Each month now, Clarksville Gas and Water customers are reminded of the terrible 2010 floods when they pay an increased rate on their monthly bill that goes to help retire the debt on the new facility.  Lessons were learned from the 2010 floods, and the new WWTP was hardened against flooding and moved to a higher level. For the full article click here 

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Experts separate fact from hype in reports of Iranian hacking

Relax, cyberwar isn’t upon us.

That’s the reaction from many cybersecurity experts after recent reports of separate hacks involving Iranian hackers, a small dam outside Rye, N.Y., and the power producer Calpine Corp.

While both of those incidents are serious, neither appears to have provided hackers the ability to cause any of the physical damage hinted at in the reports. For the full article click here 

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Have You Noticed this Billboard Along Highway 101?

News release submitted by Derek Jansen of WeAreRally.com:

Silicon Valley commuters are being greeted with a dramatic new billboard warning that U.S. Route 101 is at risk in the next major flood event: “In the next severe storm, this freeway will be UNDERWATER.”

The billboard arrives as the Bay Area prepares for El Niño’s first major storms of the season, creating wet, dangerous driving conditions on local roadways and flooding.

Our Bay on the Brink posted this massive 40-foot wide and 12-foot tall message just past the Whipple Ave entrance on the northbound side of U.S. 101. The billboard is located in an area prone to flooding and warns about flood risks caused by climate change, rising sea levels, and increasingly severe storms. For the full article click here 

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DHS not properly measuring effectiveness of cybersecurity framework outreach, GAO says

The Department of Homeland Security failed to properly measure its promotion efforts of cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure, according to the Government Accountability Office.

GAO’s report further said that adoption of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity framework by government facilities — one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors identified by the framework — has been stymied by inadequate implementation guidance by DHS and the General Services Administration, a partner in that sector.

DHS works with private sector organizations to protect industries that could have an adverse effect on homeland security if disrupted, such as communications, food and agriculture, and nuclear energy. In a cybersecurity capacity, that means evangelizing and helping deploy the NIST cybersecurity framework For the full article click here 

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New York dam hack underscores threat for connected utilities

Reports that Iranian hackers breached the computer network at a small, aging dam in Westchester County, N.Y., once again highlight how exposed many US utilities are to even the simplest digital assaults.

But while the breach reported by The Wall Street Journal earlier this week set off alarms about hackers striking American public infrastructure, experts caution that the 2013 incident at the Bowman Avenue Dam outside Rye., N.Y., shouldn’t be interpreted as evidence of a crippling cyberattack in the works. For the full article click here 

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Germany’s approach to securing critical infrastructure – a benchmark for others?

Critical infrastructure is all around us – it keeps power on, water flowing and food in the shops. Protecting this infrastructure is therefore a big issue. In Germany the Government has turned to the law to ensure that this infrastructure is protected and more resilient. Legislation was put together called the IT-Sicherheitsgesetz (literally “ IT safety law”) and it applies to around 2,000 companies that are involved in delivering critical services.

As more of the IT systems that are running critical infrastructure organisations get connected to the public Internet – such as Industrial Control Systems and SCADA applications – this law requires companies and organisations to include security in their operations. However, there are some issues with the law as it stands today that are being discussed in a quite animated way at the moment. For the full article click here 

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Foreign Hackers Accessed U.S. Power Grid ‘Dozens of Times’

Recently, a private security researcher hot on the trail of hackers who stole information from a California university’s housing files discovered something far more nefarious: the attackers had found a way into networks running America’s power grid.

That security researcher was Brian Wallace. Those attackers appear to be based in Iran. According to his research, these bad actors have already swiped passwords, engineering drawings from dozens of power plants, and more. If that’s not bad enough, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Wallace’s discovery is not altogether unique.

“About a dozen times in the last decade, sophisticated foreign hackers have gained enough remote access to control the operations networks that keep the lights on,” the AP said, noting its sources were top experts who spoke only on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter. For the full article click here 

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American infrastructure’s cybervulnerabilities again in the spotlight

The fear of a state or terror-group-sponsored cyberattack on the nation’s infrastructure was again highlighted by a pair of news stories this week that indicated such groups may have accessed the United States’ electrical grid as well as a dam in New York State.

The Associated Press reported that independent security researcher Brian Wallace found that hackers, possibly Iranian, had opened a pathway into the nation’s power grid and taken passwords and schematic drawings enabling a strong follow-up attack. In addition, another group, again possibly Iranian, may have attempted to gain access to a dam located in New York. While there was no sign a breach took place, this incident was described as a probe of the dam’s defenses, according to The Wall Street Journal. For the full article click here 

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PJM General Session Discusses Emerging Threats

WILMINGTON, Del. — When Terry Boston began working for the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1972, its bunkered control room was believed to be one of the targets near the top of the Soviet Union’s nuclear hit list.

Last week, when the retired PJM CEO said his goodbyes at a General Session on “Resiliency and Security,” the concern was not the Cold War but “black sky” risks and the need for “critical low-density engineering assets” to recover from them.

Three speakers talked about their work protecting the grid from natural and manmade threats. For the full article click here 

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Iranian hackers infiltrated computers of small US dam, says report

Iranian hackers reportedly breached the control system of a dam near New YorkCity in 2013, raising concerns about the security of the country’s infrastructure.

Two people familiar with the breach told the Wall Street Journal it occurred at the Bowman Avenue dam in Rye, New York. The small structure about 20 miles from New York City is used for flood control.

The hackers gained access to the dam through a cellular modem, the Journal said, citing an unclassified Department of Homeland Security summary of the incident that did not specify the type of infrastructure.

The dam is a 20-foot-tall concrete slab across Blind Brook, about five miles from Long Island Sound.

“It’s very, very small,” Rye’s city manager, Marcus Serrano, told the newspaper. He said FBI agents visited in 2013 to ask the city’s information-technology manager about a hacking incident. For the full article click here 

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Broadband is critical part of infrastructure

Minnesotans know how important infrastructure like roads and bridges are to our economic growth and ability to move goods. Broadband is a critical component of the infrastructure of the 21st century, and it should be a priority at national, state and local levels.

More than ever, access to knowledge in our global marketplace contributes to our local economy, educational competitiveness and community success.

Dec. 7-13 was Computer Science Education Week, an opportunity for schools and policy-makers across the country to recognize the importance of this area of learning. Computer science is important every week, and is a key part of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and gives students the vital skills needed to find high-paying jobs and succeed in rural and metro areas. For the full article click here 

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Gympie gets $1.32 million to revamp the CBD

THE Palaszczuk Government has kicked in $1.32 million towards the ongoing revitalisation of Gympie’s Town Centre.

State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham today announced the government’s contribution towards the $2.64 million Smithfield St project, which will support seven jobs.

“The Smithfield St project involves street scape improvements, new street furniture, public art, and wider pedestrian pavement areas to encourage alfresco dining and an ‘eat street’ atmosphere,” he said.

The Smithfield St project is part of Gympie Regional Council’s CBD revitalisation strategy to support the local economy attract people to live, work, play, visit and invest in Gympie.

“Smithfield St is just one of 42 critical infrastructure projects receiving more than $70 million from our $200 million Building our Regions program,” Dr Lynham said. For the full article click here 

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$10m boost for our projects

THE Palaszczuk government will deliver $10 million to help fund infrastructure in Bundaberg and Burnett.

Minister for State Development and Natural Resources and Mines Anthony Lynham today announced the government’s $10 million contribution towards the Rubyanna Wastewater Treatment Plant and a new $14.5 million community centre.

Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and Member for Bundaberg Leanne Donaldson welcomed the news, which she said would support 229 jobs and facilitate private investment in residential, commercial and industrial development.

Dr Lynham said the local projects were some of the 42 critical infrastructure projects receiving more than $70 million from the Palaszczuk government’s $200 million Building our Regions program.

“This investment in critical regional infrastructure demonstrates our government’s commitment to sustainable regional Queensland communities,” he said.

“Statewide the government’s $70 million contribution is attracting a further $159 million investment from council and other organisations. For the full article click here 

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$5.8m for Mackay sewerage system, Moranbah landfill

SANTA – along with the State Government – will deliver $5.8 million to help fund a Christmas infrastructure wish list for Mackay and Moranbah.

Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham today announced the government’s $2.25 million contribution towards Mackay’s sewerage system and $3.6 million for a new landfill resource at Moranbah.

The $4.5 million Mackay project, co-funded by Mackay Regional Council, will support 13 jobs and deliver critical upgrades to 40 different sites across the Mackay region.

At Moranbah, replacing the existing Resource Recovery Centre will create 21 jobs and help extend the existing landfill’s lifespan.

Dr Lynham said these projects were just some of 42 critical infrastructure projects receiving more than $70 million from the Palaszczuk Government’s $200 million Building our Regions program. For the full article click here 

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Railways: Ensuring readiness in case of space weather events

The JRC has been looking into the risks of space weather impact on critical infrastructures. A new report explores the rail sector’s vulnerability and the potential impacts, in particular through interdependencies with other infrastructures. Awareness among operators and regulators worldwide is currently limited and vulnerabilities across the rail sector need to be identified, authors say.

Solar activity affects the space environment surrounding the Earth. This so-called space weather can disrupt and damage critical infrastructure in space and on the ground, including satellites, aviation, road and marine transport, banking and power grids. Society relies on these infrastructures and services, which have become inter- dependent and are therefore more vulnerable to space weather.

Railway networks could be affected in case of an extreme space weather event due to direct impact on system components, such as track circuits or electronics, or indirectly via dependencies on power, communications, and progressively on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for timing and positioning. While most space weather-related studies focus on the impact on power grids, GNSS and aviation, little attention has been paid to the possibility of rail sector disruption. However, anomalies in signaling and train control systems linked to this phenomenon have already been documented, and rail operations are dependent on other potentially space-weather prone technologies, such as power, communications, and systems for timing and positioning. For the full article click here 

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Officeholders are thinking infrastructure

Infrastructure is on the minds of local elected officials after they recently received a report from the Central Regional Logistics Council. The report identifies road construction projects that would improve roadways and create better truck traffic flow.

The report was a product of the Conexus Indiana Logistics Council, which is comprised of members of the central Indiana logistics community and other construction entities. The council has a goal to enhance the environment for manufacturers to grow or locate in Central Indiana and create high paying jobs for Hoosiers. 

The report prioritizes a list of regional and local infrastructure projects. Included in the report are two regional projects within Montgomery County.

The first, which is listed as a top priority, is to add additional lanes on U.S. 231 North between Crawfordsville and Lafayette. The highly rated priority is widening the existing two-lane segment of S.R. 32 from Lebanon to Crawfordsville.

Montgomery County Commissioner Phil Bane thought the two Montgomery County Tier 1 projects would be good for local manufacturers. For the full article click here 

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NPPD cyber and infrastructure security personnel are side by side

The Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity center has a new joint threat watch for cyber and infrastructure, said a top DHS cyber official.

Phyllis Schneck, deputy undersecretary for cybersecurity and communications at the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Program Directorate, said that as of Dec. 15, there is a “joint watch” of physical security and cyber security personnel at the agency’s National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center, or NCCIC.

Schneck said in remarks at a CS&C Dec. 16 Industry Day that the NCCIC now has “infrastructure protection watch personnel sitting with our cyber watch personnel,” to provide wider situational awareness of physical and cyber threat information. For the full article click here 

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Homeland security concerns come from Florida’s top law enforcement agency

TAMPA – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars next year, and they’re pleading for state lawmakers to help.

The I-Team discovered if they don’t get it, several key jobs in fighting terrorism could be lost.
A federal $21 million homeland security grant given to Florida is set to expire in 2016.

For FDLE, it could mean nearly a dozen people in counter-terrorism could lose their jobs.

“It’s critical. It’s critical not just to FDLE, but to the state of Florida,” says FDLE’s Molly Best. For the full article click here 

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Online Identification of Conflict Related Environmental Damage

With the conflict in Syria soon to enter its fifth year, large parts of the country have been laid to waste by intense fighting, bombardment and shelling. Understandably, most of the focus has been on the fighting and the direct victims of armed violence, with rather less on other impacts and their consequences, particularly the environmental damage and pollution caused by the conflict.

Environmental damage can take many shapes and forms, from attacks on industrial facilities, critical infrastructure and the resulting releases of hazardous substances, to the looting of factories and laboratories, to the collapse of environmental governance, and the toxic footprint of weapon and munitions residues. In November 2015, PAX released the report Amidst the debris…, which provides a snapshot of the environmental hazards associated with the Syrian conflict. The research was guided by the assessments by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and others of previous conflicts (Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, Kosovo, Serbia ,Gaza, Ukraine) their environmental impacts, and associated public health risks. For the full article click here 

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Penn Yan receives $315K grant for sewer upgrades

PENN YAN — The village has been awarded a $315,000 grant toward sewer upgrades.

State Sen. Tom O’Mara, R-58 of Big Flats, announced the allocation Tuesday. Penn Yan is one of 45 communities statewide receiving a total of $75 million through the New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, which was established as part of the state budget.

Penn Yan will use the money for sanitary sewer upgrades that are expected to improve water quality in the Keuka Lake Outlet.

Watkins Glen, Montour Falls and Trumansburg also received funding. For the full article click here 

 

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White House sends cyber deterrence policy to Congress

The Obama administration has outlined its cyber deterrence policy for lawmakers after long-standing criticism from Capitol Hill that the administration lacked a strategy.

All instruments of power, including military and economic means, should be used in a targeted manner to “create uncertainty in adversaries’ minds about the effectiveness of any malicious cyber activities,” states the report sent by the Pentagon to defense committees.

The administration will focus its deterrence on cyberthreats intended to cause casualties, disrupt critical infrastructure such as the power grid, inhibit the command and control of the U.S. military and steal intellectual property. That list of deterrence priorities is “neither exhaustive nor static,” according to the document. For the full article click here 

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Nevada legislators flock to special session for Faraday

CARSON CITY — Nevada lawmakers convened in special session late Wednesday and took care of procedural business before recessing for the night, all in preparation to consider tax breaks for electric car start-up Faraday Future.

The Nevada Senate was gaveled to order around 5:30 p.m.; the Assembly convened about an hour later. But the process stalled as lawmakers awaited completion of bill drafting.

Assembly Bill 1 dealing with workforce development programs was introduced in the Assembly, which recessed around 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

Senate Bill 1, addressing tax abatements, tax credits, improvement districts and infrastructure at the Apex industrial park, was introduced shortly before 10 p.m., when the Senate adjourned for the night.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, said the upper chamber would convene 10 a.m. Thursday as a committee to begin hearing testimony. For the full article click here 

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GUARDTIME AND FUTURE CITIES CATAPULT PARTNER TO DEVELOP BLOCKCHAIN-BASED CYBERSECURITY FOR UK CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — (Marketwired) — 12/17/15 — Guardtime and Future Cities Catapult announce partnership to develop blockchain cybersecurity solutions for UK critical infrastructure.

Guardtime and Future Cities Catapult, the UK-based centre of excellence for smart city innovation, today announce a partnership to develop blockchain based cybersecurity solutions for UK critical infrastructure. The partnership will initially focus on building prototype applications to enhance resiliency, security and reliability of critical infrastructure, including projects on flood defense systems, nuclear power and the electricity distribution grid.

Matthew Johnson, Chief Technology Officer of Guardtime said,”As the world becomes more connected critical infrastructure will be even more exposed to cyberattack and today those tasked with defending infrastructure do not have the tools they need to guarantee the integrity of that infrastructure. We are thrilled to be working with Future Cities Catapult to design new blockchain based security solutions that can guarantee a level of operational resiliency not previously possible.”

Dr Catherine Mulligan, head of Digital Strategy and Economics at Future Cities Catapult added, “Guardtime’s unique permissioned blockchain approach to large scale system integrity has tremendous potential to enhance the security of UK critical infrastructure and we are excited to work with the Guardtime team to build solutions that will play a key part in the government’s industrial strategy and showcase to the world how cities can be smarter in the future.” For the full article click here 

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Cyber and traditional criminals to form alliance

Cyber criminals and traditional criminals will work together to create more havoc in the industry in the years to come, Kaspersky Lab CEO said.

Eugene Kaspersky told Gulf News that at the moment, the cyber criminals hire street criminals to attack ATMs while traditional criminals hire hackers to hack industrial systems.

“I am afraid that we will see more complicated attacks and could be a very different scenario not only for cyber security but also for physical security,” he said.

In the past, he said that there were only cyber criminals, espionage and state-sponsored attacks. Now, the industry is seeing more attacks on transportation, industrial systems from the traditional criminals. The traditional criminals now recognise the “power of cyber systems” and they hack industrial computer systems to support the traditional crime.For the full article click here 

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Cyberthreat analysis and intelligence: Innovators 2015

Securonix is heavy on the threat analysis piece. And not just a particular threat. This is a product that really enjoys drinking from the Big Data fire hose. Lest you think that we have succumbed to marketing hype and are tossing around buzz phrases, such as “Big Data,” let us assure you that we mean it in the strictest sense. Big Data usually is defined by the four Vs: high velocity, variability, volume and veracity. That means that this Innovator can ingest lots of data that is rapidly changing and is being delivered and ingested at wire speeds all while losing none of its integrity. So, the next question is what can the tool do with this data? The answer is just about anything you want.

The reason for this very directed approach is that Securonix started out as analytics specialists and built from that basis of expertise. They believed that there was a big hole in most security programs. These programs start by looking at everything on the enterprise in terms of identity. They realized that since they were attaching the right ID to everything on the enterprise, there might be a lot more that could be done to protect the network. So they added behavioral analytics, making them the only pure-play security analytics provider.

The system creates baselines, understands what “normal” is, and picks out anomalies. It does not rely on signatures or policy-based analysis because those things, by themselves, don’t work. The Securonix platform is very heavy on anomaly detection and assessing outlier behavior. Then it correlates discovered behavior with many threat intelligence feeds and brings in contextually rich information.

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Global Data Center Provider CyrusOne Commissions New Data Center Facility in Austin

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Global data center solutions provider CyrusOne (NASDAQ:CONE) announced today that it has opened its Austin III data center with the recent commissioning of the new data center facility. The new building adds nearly 120,000 colocation square feet (CSF), up to 18 megawatts of critical power capacity, and 25,000 square feet of Class A office space at full build. The first phase, which was recently completed, provides 55,000 CSF and up to 3 megawatts of power.

“The demand for colocation space continues to grow in this market,” saidJohn Hatem, executive vice president, design, construction, and operations CyrusOne. “We are uniquely qualified and committed to meeting this growing demand by expanding our data center space and power capabilities in Austin. Our growing footprint ensures we can provide mission-critical infrastructure capabilities that align with our customers’ evolving IT needs.”

“This project is another example of the CyrusOne design and construction approach to delivering enterprise-class data centers. By building a strong team of architects, engineers, and contractors and working hand in hand with the city of Austin and Austin Energy, CyrusOne was able to bring this facility online both on time and on budget,” said Danny Cowser, director, design and construction, CyrusOne.For the full article click here For the full article click here 

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Cyber bill unlikely to include contentious security clause

A major cybersecurity bill will likely omit a clause that would require the government to assess the cyber defenses of the nation’s most critical infrastructure.

Lawmakers are on the cusp of merging three cyber bills that all aim to encourage businesses to share more data on hackers with the government. The completed text could pass with an omnibus spending bill in the coming days.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has been lobbying for the inclusion of a clause that would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to evaluate the cybersecurity readiness at roughly 65 companies behind the nation’s infrastructure, and develop a plan for preventing a “catastrophic” cyberattack. For the full article click here 

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ICIT 2016 Predictions: Access Management Spotlight w/Fellow Greg Cranley (Centrify)

ICIT Fellow Greg Cranley (www.Centrify.com) shares his views on the top threats facing critical infrastructure sectors and how organizations can respond to these threats, with a focus on user credentials and access management.

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ICIT 2016 Predictions: Breach Detect & Response Spotlight w/Fellow Ashok Sankar (Raytheon Websense)

ICIT Fellow Ashok Sanakr (Raytheon Websense) shares his views on the top threats facing critical infrastructure sectors and how organizations can respond to these threats, with a focus on prevent, detect and respond technologies.

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ICIT 2016 Predictions: Behavioral Analytics Spotlight w/Fellow Stewart Draper

ICIT Fellow Stewart Draper (www.Securonix.com) shares his views on the top threats facing critical infrastructure sectors and how organizations can respond to these threats, with a focus on behavioral analytics.

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ICIT 2016 Predictions: NextGen Cybersecurity & IoT w/Fellow Stan Wisseman

ICIT Fellow Stan Wisseman (www.hpe.com) shares his views on the top threats facing critical infrastructure sectors and how organizations can respond to these threats, with a focus on NextGen cybersecurity.

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ICIT 2016 Predictions: Embedded Systems & Collaboration w/Fellow Jerry Davis

ICIT Fellow Jerry Davis (NASA Ames Research Center) shares his views on the top threats facing critical infrastructure sectors and how organizations can respond to these threats, with a focus on embedded systems and government / industry collaboration.

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Labour’s Digital Economy Shadow Minister: Ed Vaizey is “letting down the country”

One of the many criticisms thrown at the political class is that they become ministers and spokespeople on subjects that they have no experience in, or knowledge of. This cannot be levelled at Chi Onwurah, Jeremy Corbyn’s recently appointed Shadow Minister for Culture & the Digital Economy, and a chartered electrical engineer.

“I went into engineering and I went into technology is because I understood the power of digital from an early age,” she tells CBR.

Onwurah says that a Labour government would focus on “investment in our digital infrastructure,” something she blasts both David Cameron led governments’ record on.

“The coalition government abandoned Labour’s universal broadband commitment for 2012, and then they missed their own targets on having it in place by 2015, and we still have significant areas of the country where you can’t get a even decent broadband signal, never mind a superfast one.” Onwurah says a Labour government would drive towards fibre to the home.

“The government has used the £2-£3bn of public sector subsidy, giving it all to BT to roll out largely where they would have rolled out anyway,” she says.

Although she praises some cyber security measures by the government, such as GCHQ apprenticeships and Cyber Streetwise, however, she describes the recent doubling of the cyber security budget by George Osborne as “a bit of scam actually”. For the full article click here 

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Belden Delivers Cyber Security Solutions for Critical Infrastructure

ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Belden Inc. (NYSE: BDC), a global leader in high quality, end-to-end signal transmission solutions for mission-critical applications, today announced that Tripwire cyber security solutions for vulnerability and log management now support its brands, GarrettCom and Tofino Security’s products. The new, integrated solutions deliver an added level of cyber security assurance for mission-critical industrial networks. Tripwire, Tofino Security and GarrettCom are part of Belden’s portfolio of industry leading solutions.

To help protect critical infrastructure organizations from cyber-attacks, Tripwire Log Center now collects and processes logs from both GarrettCom switches and routers and the Tofino Xenon Security Appliance. Mutual customers can search and report on events of interest, generate alerts and build correlation rules for these devices as well as the additional 274 devices supported by Tripwire Log Center.

Tripwire IP360, an industry-leading vulnerability management solution, now discovers and profiles GarrettCom switches and routers. Joint customers can easily identify Belden devices in their environments and address many common security issues and vulnerabilities affecting a wide range of operating systems and applications. For the full article click here 

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Washington Debrief – NIST Cybersecurity Framework RFI released

NIST Requests Feedback on Implementation, Value of Cybersecurity Framework

Key Takeaway: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a request for information (RFI) concerning the “Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.”

Why It Matters: The first version of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework was released in February of 2014 as a result of an Executive Order focused on improving the cybersecurity of the nation’s critical infrastructure sectors. NIST is seeking input on possible ways the Framework should be updated. For the full article click here 

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Wisconsin to establish new cyber protection team

Madison, WI (WKOW) – –

The Department of Defense’s National Guard Bureau has announced that Wisconsin and Illinois will form one of 10 new, regional cyber protection teams around the country.

“Information technology exists in almost all of our daily tasks, and the cyber threat poses risks to Wisconsin’s critical infrastructure, transportation systems, power grids, consumers using credit cards, and to individual citizens,” said Gov. Scott Walker in a news release on Monday afternoon.

Maj. Paul Rickert, a Public Affairs Officer with the Wisconsin National Guard, said cyber security has become an essential part of national security.

He said the cyber protection team will be composed of roughly 40 soldiers from Wisconsin and Illinois.

Rickert said all of those assigned to the team will have to bring cyber security backgrounds to the table, and may also have to undergo additional training.

“This is something that’s going to take a bit of time to stand up,” Rickert said. “It’ll take us a couple of years to fully man this team.” For the full article click here 

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Aberdeen Harbour Board picks Pinsent Masons as legal adviser for Nigg Bay expansion project

Aberdeen harbour has taken another step on its way to delivering a £400million expansion with the appointment of a legal adviser for the project.

Pinsent Masons will advise on procurement, construction, funding, planning, environmental and property issues relating to the planned Nigg Bay facility to the south of the existing harbour.

The transformation of Nigg Bay is seen as vital if Aberdeen is to capitalise on the cruise ship, renewables and decommissioning industries.

In April the Aberdeen Harbour Board said a lack of deep-water capacity at the port meant it would be difficult to improve on its performance in 2014, when it turned over £29million and increased vessel arrivals by 1.3% to 7,900. For the full article click here 

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Scathing report damns Abbott’s handling of East West Link funds

The Abbott government inflated the deficit during its first year in power by transferring $1.5bn to Victoria for the East West Link despite “clear advice” the payments were not yet needed, an audit report has found.

The government approved the funding even though it had received departmental warnings that neither stage of the Melbourne project had proceeded through a full assessment of its merits, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) said inthe report issued on Monday.

The report raises serious questions about the federal government’s handling of the 18km project, which was also championed by the former Victorian Coalition government but was subsequently scrapped by the Andrews Labor administration. For the full article click here 

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What will the politicians do when even the Reserve Bank wants more spending?

In the first of a series of end-of-year interviews with senior politicians and party leaders, Vernon Small talks to Finance Minister Bill English and his Labour counterpart Grant Robertson about their plans for 2016 

After seven years of belt-tightening, is it time to loosen it just a notch or two?

Both Finance Minister Bill English and the man who would take his job – Labour’s Grant Robertson – are signalling it could be time for a bit more spending – and less immediate focus on Budget surpluses. For the full article click here 

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LogRhythm’s Top 10 Security Predictions for 2016

Security Intelligence company LogRhythm has provided its top ten Security Predictions for 2016.

An uptick in all-in-one home surveillance systems. We are seeing more motion sensing/camera/recording devices in the home that can be managed through personal devices. This type of technology will continue to expand, and with this expansion, hackers will try to exploit them or cause chaos.

A rise in the use of mobile wallet apps. Like having virtual money and an ID in one’s pocket, mobile wallet apps are at the intersection of marketing and payments. And although a mobile wallet is convenient, it is directly tied to one’s mobile phone which is a critical access vector for cyber threats.

New model of what to protect. Instead of a mandate to “protect everything on the network,” IT staffs must work more like a unit, centralising and protecting the most critical resources. This approach moves defense-in-depth to the most critical business components of the organisation. For the full article click here 

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Report offers ‘lessons learned’ from LRT project

Basing cost-estimates on more detailed plans, talking to property experts about tricky land acquisitions and including OC Transpo as soon as possible are some of the key recommendations contained in a long-awaited “lessons learned” report that sheds light on what the city could take from the early days of its Confederation light-rail project and apply to the proposed $3-billion expansion.

Two years into construction of the $2.1-billion Confederation line, the city hired consultants to offer an assessment of the challenges faced during the planning, preparation and procurement of the largest infrastructure project in Ottawa’s history.

Consultants from Deloitte and local firm Boxfish Group conducted interviews with 19 city staff members, advisers and government officials who have been involved in the Confederation project from the early planning stages right up to its current construction.

Although it was only released to councillors on Friday by city manager Kent Kirkpatrick, the report — or an earlier draft of it — was used previously to justify awarding a sole-sourced $60-million contract to plan the next phase of LRT. For the full article click here 

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Caltrans to Launch New Initiative to Address Infrastructure Issues

Caltrans will be launching a new initiative to identify and address issues with infrastructure throughout the state in the event of a major earthquake.

In conjunction with the United States Geological Survey, Caltrans announced its launch of ShakeCast V3, which will bolster its statewide response to an earthquake.

Because the health of bridges and other infrastructure is critical to emergency response, ShakeCast V3 will allow Caltrans to identify and address earthquake damages with unprecedented speed and efficiency.

ShakeCast V3 is an application that uses earthquake-shaking data and analyzes that data against performance characteristics for bridges and other structures. It uses a suite of powerful tools to alert first responders to the location and probable severity of impacts during a seismic event, including email alerts, an interactive website and analysis results, all of which are delivered to first responders within minutes of a seismic event. For the full article click here

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New EU Cybersecurity Rule Means Additional Compliance Obligations for Critical Infrastructure and Tech Companies

On December 07, 2015, the European Commission (EC) agreed on new cyber security laws that will require certain critical infrastructure operators and multinational companies to fully disclose cyber-security breaches and violations to European Union (EU) authorities or face severe penalties.

The new law, known as the “Network and Information Security Directive” outlines cyber security breach reporting rules for companies in certain sectors such as finance, energy, health and technology.  The purpose behind the law is to encourage more transparency and cooperation between nations and large multinational companies when responding to and combating cyber threats. For the full article click here 

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Obama signs 5-year infrastructure spending bill

The bill was approved 359 to 65 within the Home, & 83 to 16 within the Senate. Louisiana’s Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy and David Vitter also voted for the bill. Now the president’s signature is the only thing standing in the way of the first long-term bill in a decade. Tom Carper, long a proponent of increased investment in transportation, was one of two Senate Democrats who voted Thursday against legislation to provide five years of financing for highways, bridges and transit. “After years of inaction, this Senate took bipartisan action to meaningfully improve our roads and infrastructure over the coming years”, McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday. “We have long said that states, which are the primary implementers of the federal program, need a long-term federal commitment in order to plan for and invest in the kind of transportation projects the nation needs now and well into the future to support our quality of life and economic prosperity”, he added. The Transportation Department estimates the volume of freight traffic will increase 45 percent over the next 30 years. Unfortunately the bill fails to enable states to allow increased truck weights on federal interstates, after the defeat of an amendment offered by Rep. Reid Ribble of Wisconsin that would have provided states the option to increase truck weight limits on federal interstates, the ASA said. For the full article click here 

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Logistics Industry Continues to Evolve

In the warehouse and distribution sector, a quote from Ben Franklin resonates so true today: “When you are finished changing, you are finished.” It is imperative that you stay current with trends and projections in your industry or as Ben Franklin stated, you will be “finished” or left behind.

Logistics modeling, alternative delivery systems, and new methods of order picking are driving changes in the size, ceiling heights, and types of employees needed for the modern warehouse. These new trends will continue to influence the transportation and logistics of how consumers receive goods. The widening of the Panama Canal, investment into rail intermodals, and the development of industrial distribution centers for solely e-commerce purposes are additional developments the industrial real estate landscape is experiencing. For the full article click here 

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NIST opens comment period on Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

The National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) will begin accepting comments and feedback starting on December 11 on its voluntary “Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.”

The Request for Information includes specific inquiries regarding how it is being used, best practices and how they are shared, the possible need for updating the Framework and thoughts on the long-term management of the Framework.

“The process to develop the Framework brought together both private and public sector organizations and resulted in a document that is being used by a wide variety of organizations,” said Adam Sedgewick, NIST senior information technology policy advisor. For the full article click here 

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PNT ExCom Backs eLoran as a Step to Full GPS Backup System

The National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT ExCom) has recommended using enhanced Loran (eLoran) as a near-term alternative to GPS for essential timing data while it determines what capabilities are needed for a comprehensive GPS backup, officials told Congress this week.

In a December 8 letter, Department of Defense (DoD) Deputy Secretary Robert Work and Department of Transportation (DoT) Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez, cochairs of the PNT ExCom, outlined a two-step plan to put the backups in place. Established by a 2004 presidential directive, the PNT ExCom is the highest-level body charged with coordinating GPS-related matters across multiple federal agencies to ensure that the system addresses national priorities as well as military requirements. For the full article click here 

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Transportation bill will help, but not transform, Massachusetts

Local lawmakers and civic leaders said the $5 billion Massachusetts will receive from a new 5-year federal transportation bill provides the money and the funding stability necessary to complete vital transportation projects.

But those interviewed also noted that the bill was no panacea for crumbling transportation infrastructure and new transportation needs. Moreover, several were disappointed the bill does not resolve how to sustainably pay for infrastructure.

“I am pleased that this bill contains the predictable funding and the firm commitment needed from the federal government for states to move forward with critical infrastructure projects and strengthen our highway and transit programs,” U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, said in a statement last week. “But we must also recognize that this is only a first step … Only with strong and continued investment can we fully address the challenge of our crumbling infrastructure.” For the full article click here

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The Importance of Cyber Security and Avoiding Data Breaches

The New Year is coming, which means it’s time to reflect on how to improve. But a top priority for companies is often overlooked until it’s too late. What’s this priority? Cyber security.

From Sony and Ashley Madison, to the retail giant Target, cyber security breaches have been at the forefront of our minds. There’s a reason for this. We are living in a world where our customers’ and employees’ financial and personal data can be easily compromised and used for everything from bank card fraud to extortion. So, what have we learned from these recent cyber-attacks?

Who and What is at Risk

Nothing is off limits.
Any proprietary information, whether it seems secure or not, isn’t completely safe nowadays. Cyberattacks could come from anywhere in the world, on any industry. Hackers are targeting more suppliers of services like consultants and lawyers, but also going after smaller businesses that may not have as much security set up. For the full article click here 

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$4.5 million awarded for homeland security protection across NY state

NEW YORK — $4.5 million in federal grants have been awarded to municipalities across New York State.

The goal of that funding is to strengthen anti-terrorism programs, enhance emergency preparedness and help the expansion of critical infrastructure protections, according to an announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and members of the state’s Congressional Delegation.

“We know all too well the threat posed by terrorism and recent events have only further demonstrated the need for our first responders to have the resources to respond swiftly and effectively to emergency situations,” Governor Cuomo said. “This administration remains committed to ensuring these brave men and women are fully prepared to keep New Yorkers safe in every corner of the state.”

The $4.5 million comes from three grant programs: $2 million from the Tactical Team Grant, $2 million from the Technical Rescue & Urban Search and Rescue Grant Program and $500,000 from the Critical Infrastructure Grant Program. For the full article click here 

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Editor’s Letter: Physical Infrastructure Protection is Vital for Keeping Utility Operations Functional

This issue of Utility Products brings you two informative feature articles that discuss ways to protect our utility infrastructure. “A Checklist Approach-Maintaining Backup Battery Systems” discusses how standby battery backup systems keep operations functional during a utility outage. The article addresses recommended battery tests and schedules, key indicators of battery failure, and conducting standard battery tests. And Dave Thomas’ article, “How to Address Cyber Security and NERC CIP 5” takes a look at how risk management challenges are rising as the number and severity of cyber attacks against critical infrastructure continue to increase. Thomas reviews what utilities must do to address this problem in line with North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC’s) latest Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) requirements.

Also in this issue are two feature articles that review mutual assistance planning. “Countrywide Cooperation,” by contributing editor Paul Hull, discusses how there probably is no single utility that can cope with catastrophes such as hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes and man-made attacks. Hull reviews how utilities work together to restore power-with the top priority going to those that can help the most people. And Brady Jenkins’ article, “Making Asset Management Easier for Everyone,” addresses which challenges North American power utilities face and how OMICRON’s flexible maintenance software, ADMO, helps them comply with reliability standards. For the full article click here 

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Council hits back at claims they asked for too much

BUNDABERG Regional Council is formally seeking feedback from the Australian Government on its Round 2 submission for funding through the National Stronger Regions Fund after missing out on federal assistance for critical infrastructure to support the region’s economic development.

Bundaberg Regional Council said while it was appreciative of funding received through a range of federal programs, Mayor Mal Forman is dismayed that the region has not been able to secure any funding through the Stronger Regions program to assist with the $71 million Rubyanna Wastewater Treatment Plant construction, which she said would generate 640 jobs for the region.

“The objective of the National Stronger Regions Fund is to ‘support economic growth and sustainability of regions across Australia, especially disadvantaged regions, by supporting investment in priority infrastructure’,” he said. For the full article click here 

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ComEd Project Could Bring Hundreds of Jobs to Northern Illinois

ROCKFORD (WIFR) — More jobs are expected to come to the Stateline thanks to a multi-million dollar project that’s also expected to keep our lights on during storms.

ComEd is planning to develop six microgrids around the Rockford region, including at the Chicago Rockford International Airport. It’s a project that would employ 300-400 people over the next few years.

The microgrids strengthen the reliability of the main grid, meaning we’re more likely to have electricity during extreme weather or an emergency.

If you lose large portions of the big power grid, you still have critical infrastructure. In our mind, it’s hospitals, it’s water, transportation, emergency response, you still have those pockets of critical infrastructure that are up and running,” says ComEd President and CEO Pramaggiore. For the full article click here 

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Several Microgrids Could Pop up across Northern Illinois in Years to Come

More than one hundred gathered at the Chicago Rockford International Airport to hear ComEd announce its plan to construct six microgrids across Northern Illinois–something the company is calling a groundbreaking technology.

A microgrid is a small power grid that connects to the main grid. It can also operate independently. They strengthen the reliability and resiliency of the grid, making it more difficult for areas to lose power.

But where do you construct the grids?

ComEd is going to place them near what they consider to be vital infrastructure areas.

“In our mind, it’s hospitals, it’s water, it’s transportation, it’s emergency response. You still have those pockets of critical infrastructure that are up and running,” says Anne Pramaggiore, President & CEO, ComEd.

This includes the Chicago Rockford International Airport, which has local officials excited.

Larry Morrissey – Mayor, City of Rockford For the full article click here 

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Productivity Commission investigation critical

“The Productivity Commission’s Better Urban Planning issues paper zeroes in on some of the biggest issues that contribute to rising housing costs, congestion, infrastructure deficiencies and poor environmental outcomes,” says Stephen Selwood CEO of the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development.

“The Commission is seeking feedback on changes to the principal laws which guide urban planning and development – the Resource Management Act, Local Government Act and Land Transport Management Act.

“District plans, council long term and annual plans, regional transport strategies and a range of other essential public documents which determine rates and transport spending, as well as what your community looks and feels like all fall under these three Acts.

“Currently decisions about land use planning and consenting for development, roads, water and other critical infrastructure are made under the RMA. But decisions about public investment for these same activities are made under the LTMA and the LGA. For the full article click here 

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​Hardware Trojan: Australia under threat?

In 2012, the Australian Federal Government placed significant pressure on relations with Beijing as it prevented the Chinese telecommunications giant, Huawei, from tendering for the National Broadband Network (NBN). Due to the apparent intimate relationship between Huawei and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), fears were raised over the potential for hardware backdoor capabilities in the NBN to facilitate China’s growing cyber espionage. Prime Minister Julia Gillard stated, “The National Broadband Network is a piece of critical infrastructure, it is the future of our nation’s telecommunications. You would expect that as a government we would make the appropriate decisions to protect that critical infrastructure, and we have.” While this decision was applauded by domestic and international security organisations, Australia has an unbalanced risk based approach to cyber resilience. The lack of security in the cyber supply chain places Australia under threat from state-sponsored malicious networks. For the full article click here 

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Devon Energy Corp. Unveils Bold Moves to Sharpen its Focus

Talk about a merger Monday for Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN). The North American-focused driller, and its affiliates EnLink Midstream Partners (NYSE:ENLK) and EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE:ENLC), announced not one, but three separate transactions all designed to bulk up the company’s core position in two emerging energy basins. In addition to that the company also announced that it will subsequently trim away some of its non-core positions so that it doesn’t diminish its solid financial position amid the worst downturn in the oil market in years. With these deals Devon has secured compelling positions to drive growth today and in the future.

Details on the deals
Reports surfaced last week that something was brewing at Devon Energy with Reuters reporting that Devon was in talks to buy privately held Felix Energy for around $2 billion in cash-and-stock. That deal was subsequently finalized and announced on Monday with Devon shelling out $1.9 billion for Felix, which would give it access to another 80,000 net acres in the STACK play within the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma. However, in addition to that deal, Devon Energy also announced that it was acquiring 253,000 net acres in the Powder River Basin for $600 million. In total, the company is issuing $1.35 billion in equity to the sellers and $1.15 billion in cash to seal these two deals. For the full article click here 

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Spokane Selected for National Smart City Program

SPOKANE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Spokane has been selected to be among the first 10 cities in America to participate in a program sponsored by Envision America. As part of the selection, Spokane will join 9 other cities in an intensive workshop as well as a yearlong technical support program. Spokane is being recognized for its efforts in becoming a safer, stronger and smarter city. Formation of Envision America, a national nonprofit, was announced in September of this year during a White House event in which the Administration announced a new “Smart Cities” Initiative to help communities tackle local challenges and improve city services. Envision America, based on the success of Envision Charlotte, focuses on challenging America’s cities to become smarter by accelerating deployment of innovative technologies that tackle energy, water, waste, and air challenges.We are proud to be a founding partner in this effort that is helping Spokane drive innovation and create new opportunities for the community,” said Philip Mezey, President and CEO of Itron. “This selection highlights the resourcefulness being applied in Spokane while demonstrating the development potential of the University District.” For the full article click here 

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Terrorism prevention app comes to New York state

In an effort to expand security measures across the state, the “See Something, Send Something” app will now allow New Yorkers to report suspicious activity with their phones, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last month.

The app was created by My Mobile Witness, a company that partners with law enforcement agencies to connect the agencies with citizens in order to create a more secure environment. This is not My Mobile Witness’s first venture into apps that allow users to report suspicious activities. They released “Safer Ohio,” an app that allowed Ohio residents to report suspicious activities to Ohio Homeland Security, on April 4, 2014.

The app has been adopted by Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia since its debut on the Google Play Store on Jan. 14, 2015. New York is the sixth state to use the app. For the full article click here 

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Cyber Pearl Harbor: A date that will live in infamy, and the marketing machine that hijacked it

On Monday, December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the previous Sunday would be “a date which will live in infamy,” after the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

Sadly, the attacks 74 years ago that pushed a nation into war are now used as sales and marketing tools in the information security industry and other markets.

When FDR made his speech to Congress on December 8, 1941, Pearl Harbor was still recovering, and the news reports were just starting to catch-up on the events. The speech was brief, intentionally so, because it was supposed to jolt the American public into taking immediate action.

Just over an hour later, Congress declared war against Japan and the U.S. was officially involved in World War II. For the full article click here 

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Honeywell to unveil smart building technology

Honeywell, an industry leader in wireless and scanning technologies used in home, building, and industrial application, is set to unveil its next generation of smart building technology, at the 2015 Internet of Things World Forum (IoTWF) which opens tomorrow (December 6) in Dubai, UAE.

An exclusive annual event, IoTWF brings together the world’s best and brightest thinkers, practitioners, and innovators from business, government, and academia to accelerate the market adoption of the Internet of Things.

Honeywell is launching its key smart building solutions including the command and control suite, for the first time in the Middle East at three-day forum to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre. For the full article click here 

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Chamber applauds federal transportation funding act

Since the Jobs Conference that was held in 1979, Memphis has targeted logistics to leverage our world-class infrastructure and geographic location.

We now are home to the largest cargo airport in North America, over 100 million square feet of warehouse space and tens of thousands of jobs in that logistics sector. However, to leverage these accomplishments and compete with international challengers to our position, we must continue to invest in our regional and national infrastructure.

Thanks to Congress, a new transportation bill and the fate of freight movements in our country has passed. This reauthorization of our nation’s surface transportation programs presents an opportunity to make critical investments that support domestic manufacturing, agriculture and other goods moving sectors. For the full article click here 

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New steps to keep sewage from Passaic River

During heavy rains, Bergen and Passaic county towns along the Passaic River are the recipients of raw sewage swirling down the river from Paterson.

That’s because the rainwater rushes down the city’s streets and into storm drains, where it joins sewage from homes and businesses flowing into a sewage treatment plant. And the extra surge of rainwater can overwhelm the aging system, dumping the toxic mix of pollutants swept from the streets as well as the sewage through 24 overflow pipes directly into the river.

Paterson officials have estimated that to fix the system — ripping up streets and laying lines to handle sewage and rainwater separately — could cost $1 billion, money the city doesn’t have. For the full article click here 

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Robichaud: Beware of Hillary Clinton’s infrastructure plan promises

Hillary Clinton has announced a $275 billion upgrading infrastructure plan. While she calls it a “down payment,” that’s no small price tag. No wonder Hillary thought she was dead broke after living in the White House.

Her latest spending initiative includes giving free broadband to every American, fixing roads and bridges, improving mass transit, investing in ports, waterways, airports, railways and upgrading the electrical grid. Moreover, she wants to use $25 billion to create a national infrastructure bank. The only thing missing is a wall on the border.

Does every American need free broadband? Putting aside that debate, should we trust a Hillary Clinton administration to implement $275 billion in spending? For the full article click here 

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U.S. Plan Will Fix Area Roads

West Lebanon — There was good news out of Washington this week for Upper Valley officials seeking funding for a number of transportation projects, ranging from a major safety overhaul along Route 12 in Charlestown to the replacement or repair of aging bridges over Vermont rivers in towns such as Strafford and Chelsea.

After years of stymied efforts to address the nation’s aging and congested highways and transit systems, Congress found the sweet spot for passage on Thursday — a five-year, $305 billion bill laden with enough industry favors, parochial projects, safety improvements and union demands to gain overwhelming support.

The bill was approved, 359-65, in the House and 83-6 in the Senate Thursday night.

All seven members of the Vermont and New Hampshire delegations backed the bill, though U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., missed the vote because he was flying to New Hampshire that night for presidential campaign events on Friday. For the full article click here 

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Hackers could take over critical infrastructure and bring huge attacks, Reddit users warn in terrifying thread

Computer software is invading computer systems around the world and could be lying in wait to strike at our most important infrastructure, according to Reddit users.

People have been sharing some of the most powerful and scary powers that computer hackers might have. And they include taking over industrial machinery and using potentially to kill people, according to posts on the site.

In a thread asking “What are the best computer hackers able to do right now that most people are unaware of?”, Reddit users shared stories of the huge danger that computer hackers are able to bring to normal people. For the full article click here 

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Champlain Parkway inches forward

Rain trickled through cracked asphalt on the Champlain Parkway near U.S. 7 in Burlington Wednesday afternoon. Built in the 1980s and abandoned shortly thereafter, the divided highway has done little more than provide overflow parking for the nearby Howard Center.

A completed parkway, if wary South End residents set aside their skepticism, is on the horizon. City leaders this week promised to resume construction on the 50-year-old project by 2018.

Aware the derelict parkway reinforces the ugly trope of inefficient municipal government, Mayor Miro Weinberger and Chapin Spencer, his public works director, have pledged to complete a number of projects that have languished for years in planning stages. For the full article click here 

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