The National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets
The National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets

Author: Executive Office of the President of the United States

Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub

Published: 2013-01-16

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 9781481997898

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This publication defines the road ahead for a core mission area identified in the President's National Strategy for Homeland Security—reducing the Nation's vulnerability to acts of terrorism by protecting our critical infrastructures and key assets from physical attack. This publication, the National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets, the Strategy, identifies a clear set of national goals and objectives and outlines the guiding principles that will underpin our efforts to secure the infrastructures and assets vital to our national security, governance, public health and safety, economy, and public confidence. This Strategy also provides a unifying organization and identifies specific initiatives to drive our near-term national protection priorities and inform the resource allocation process. Most importantly, it establishes a foundation for building and fostering the cooperative environment in which government, industry, and private citizens can carry out their respective protection responsibilities more effectively and efficiently. This Strategy recognizes the many important steps that public and private entities across the country have taken in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks to improve the security of their critical facilities, systems, and functions. Building upon these efforts, this document provides direction to the federal departments and agencies that have a role in critical infrastructure and key asset protection. It also suggests steps that state and local governments, private sector entities, and concerned citizens across America can take to enhance our collective infrastructure and asset security. In this light, this Strategy belongs and applies to the Nation as a whole, not just to the federal government or its constituent departments and agencies.

Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets
Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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The National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets (NSPP) details a major part of the Bush administration's overall homeland security strategy. Implementing this Strategy requires clear definition of "critical infrastructures" and "key assets." Although the Strategy provides such definitions, the meaning of "critical infrastructure" in the public policy context has been evolving for decades and is still open to debate. Twenty years ago, "infrastructure" was defined primarily with respect to the adequacy of the nation's public works. In the mid-1990's, however, the growing threat of international terrorism led policy makers to reconsider the definition of "infrastructure" in the context of homeland security. Successive federal government reports, laws and executive orders have refined, and generally expanded, the number of infrastructure sectors and the types of assets considered to be "critical" for purposes of homeland security. The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001(P.L. 107-56) contains the federal government's most recent definition of "critical infrastructure." The NSPP contains the most recent detailed list of critical infrastructures and assets of national importance. The list may continue to evolve, however, as economic changes or geopolitical developments influence homeland security policy. There is some debate among policy makers about the implications of an ambiguous or changing list of critical infrastructures. Ambiguity about what constitutes a critical infrastructure (or key resource) could lead to inefficient use of limited homeland security resources. For example, private sector representatives state that they need clear and stable definitions of asset criticality so they will know exactly what assets to protect, and how well to protect them. Otherwise, they risk protecting too many facilities, protecting the wrong facilities, or both. On the other hand, arbitrarily limiting the number of critical infrastructures a priori due to resource constraints might miss a dangerous vulnerability. Clear "criticality" criteria will also be important if federal agencies intend to implement and enforce any potential future security regulations related to critical infrastructure. This report will not be updated.