Progress in Developing the National Asset Database

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$J1L(lO~ \~ ~~ - Center for Investigative Reporting$

BackgroundIn 1998, President Clinton issued Presidential Decision Directive No. 63(PDD-63), Critical Infrastructure Protection, which set forth principles forprotecting the nation by minimizing the threat of smaller-scale terrorist attacksagainst information technology and geographically-distributed supply chainsthat could cascade and disrupt entire sectors of the economy. 1 Absent acentralized authority for homeland security, federal agencies were designatedas Lead Agencies in their sector of expertise. The Lead Agencies were taskedto develop sector-specific Information Sharing and Analysis Centers tocoordinate efforts with the private sector. PDD-63 required the creation of aNational Infrastructure Assurance Plan.The present administration was reviewing this strategy when the terroristattacks of September 11, 2001, accelerated its implementation. It began toadapt and develop the principles of PDD-63. Executive Orders 13228 and13231 expanded the federal role as a coordinating partner for state and localagencies as well as the private sector, raised the priority of physical assets asdistinguished from cyber assets, and organized infrastructure coordinationthrough the creation of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, theHomeland Security Council, and the Office of Homeland Security. 2In July 2002, the White House Office of Homeland Security released theNational Strategy for Homeland Security (NSHS). Protecting the nation’scritical infrastructure and key assets was one of its six critical mission areas. 3Critical infrastructure was previously defined as “systems and assets, whetherphysical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity ordestruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact onsecurity, national economic security, national public health or safety, or anycombination of those matters….” 4 The NSHS adds to this concept a concernfor key assets, “individual targets whose destruction would not endanger vitalsystems, but could create local disaster or profoundly damage our Nation’smorale or confidence. Key assets include symbols or historical attractions,1 Presidential Decision Directive 63: Critical Infrastructure Protection, May 22, 1998. Executive Order 13010: CriticalInfrastructure Protection, established the President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection (PCCIP). FederalRegister Vol. 61, No. 138, July 17, 1996, pp. 37347-37350. PCCIP fostered the development of PDD-63.2 Executive Order 13228: Establishing the Office of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Council, Vol. 66,No. 196, Oct. 10, 2001. pp. 51812-51817. Executive Order 13231: Critical Infrastructure Protection in the InformationAge. Federal Register. Vol. 66, No. 202. Oct. 18, 2001. pp. 53063-53071.3 National Strategy for Homeland Security, pp. viii, 29-36.4 USA PATRIOT Act, P.L. 107-56 Sec. 1016(e).Progress in Developing the National Asset Database2
such as prominent national, state, or local monuments and icons.” 5 Thisdiffers slightly from the term “key resources,” defined in the HomelandSecurity Act of 2002 (HSA) as “publicly or privately controlled resourcesessential to the minimal operations of the economy and government.” 6 TheNSHS continued the concept of lead agencies—now called Sector-SpecificAgencies (SSAs)—but designated the yet-to-be-created DHS to coordinate thestrategy as well as be the lead agency for some sectors. It defined eight majorinitiatives in protecting critical infrastructure and key assets, including“[b]uild[ing] and maintain[ing] a complete assessment of America’s criticalinfrastructure and key assets.” 7The HSA created DHS. Within DHS’s Information Analysis andInfrastructure Protection Directorate (IAIP), the Office of InfrastructureProtection (IP) assumed responsibility for assessing the nation’s criticalinfrastructure and key resources. 8 IAIP was responsible for accessing andintegrating information from the federal government, state, and localgovernment agencies, and private sector entities in order to “identify andassess the nature and scope of terrorist threats to the homeland.” 9Additionally, it was responsible for developing and coordinating acomprehensive national plan to secure critical infrastructure and keyresources. This includes assessments of risk, integrating “relevantinformation, analyses, and vulnerability assessments… in order to identifypriorities for protective and support measures….” 10Within a month of its establishment, in February 2003, DHS took steps towarddeveloping a national plan by issuing the National Strategy for the PhysicalProtection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets. This documentidentified the leadership role of the federal government in “[t]aking stock ofour most critical facilities, systems, and functions…” and required DHS to:(1) “[d]evelop a uniform methodology” for identifying critical assets;(2) “[b]uild a comprehensive database to catalog these critical facilities,systems, and functions”; (3) maintain an “up-to-date assessment ofvulnerabilities and preparedness across critical sectors”; and, (4) establish a5 NSHS p. 30.6 Homeland Security Act, P.L. 107-296, Sect. 2(9).7 NSHS, p. 33.8 HSA, Sect. 201(d)(2) assigned responsibility for assessing CI/KR to IAIP. When DHS reorganized in 2005 and IAIP’stwo primary components, the Office of Information Analysis (IA) and the Office of Infrastructure Protection, were split.IA was renamed the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and now reports directly to the Secretary. IP retained its nameand was moved to the Preparedness Directorate. The Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection leads IP.9 HSA, Sect. 201(d)(1)(A).10 PL 107-296, Sect. 201(d)(3).Progress in Developing the National Asset Database3
Page 1 and 2: DRAFTDEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURIT
Page 3 and 4: ContentsExecutive Summary..........
Page 5: Executive SummaryOn December 17, 20
Page 9 and 10: Chart 1: NADB Totals by SectorAgric
Page 11 and 12: Chart 2: NADB Totals by Stages of D
Page 13 and 14: IP officials view the new taxonomy
Page 15 and 16: assets (such as schools) should be
Page 17 and 18: all but Indiana) and identified sev
Page 19 and 20: mortuaries, 571 nursing homes, and
Page 21 and 22: capability to be queried in a varie
Page 23 and 24: eports and reluctance of the privat
Page 25 and 26: development in other sectors, and a
Page 27 and 28: that not only does the department n
Page 29 and 30: Recommendation #3: For ongoing and
Page 31 and 32: Appendix APurpose, Scope, and Metho
Page 33 and 34: Appendix BPreparedness Response to
Page 39 and 40: Appendix CRoles/Responsibilities wi
Page 45 and 46: Appendix DCritical Infrastructure a
Page 47 and 48: Appendix EGuidelines for Identifyin
Page 49 and 50: Appendix EGuidelines for Identifyin
Page 51 and 52: Appendix FCritical Infrastructure/K
Page 53 and 54: Appendix HReport DistributionDepart

Progress in Developing the National Asset Database

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