Infrastructure and Homeland Security

DateMonday, May 11, 2009
LocationCannon House Office Building, Room 121

Security for a New Century was pleased to welcome Mr. David Gehr and Mr. Paul F. Mlakar, members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), to lead a discussion on the findings of the ASCE 2009 Infrastructure Report Card.

Infrastructure is a key part of the nation’s homeland security, and for that reason the ASCE Report makes for grim reading. ASCE examined and graded the key aspects of America’s infrastructure, such as bridges, road and rail, using criteria that included condition, capacity and resilience. Overall, the ASCE awarded the US infrastructure a grade ‘D’. Not a single aspect of the countries infrastructure achieved a grade above a ‘C’. Overall, ASCE estimates it would cost $2.2 trillion over the next 5 years to alleviate this situation.

The ASCE used seven categories to evaluate the national infrastructure: Condition; Capacity; Operation & Maintenance; Funding; Future Need; Public Safety and Resilience. The aspects of infrastructure that the Report examined were: Aviation

Bridges; Dams; Drinking Water; Energy; Hazardous Waste; Inland Waterways; Levees; Public Parks & Recreation; Rail; Roads; Schools; Solid Waste; Transit and Wastewater. Each of these aspects were graded ‘C or less – with some as low as a D minus.

In order to address these major failings, the ASCE has outlined 5 broad solutions - Increase federal leadership; Promote sustainability & resilience; Develop national, regional and state infrastructure plans; Address life-cycle costs and Increase & improve investment from all stakeholders.

Of these solutions, the most important with regard to national security is the promotion of resilience of our infrastructure to withstand both natural and man-made hazards. ‘Resilience’ in this instance refers to the capability of systems to protect against, or indeed prevent, serious threats as well as the ability to recover rapidly in the event of an attack or natural catastrophe. Events over the last decade, from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, have proven how important a resilient infrastructure is to national security and the safety of US citizens.

For more information on the 2009 ASCE 2009 Infrastructure Report Card, follow this link:

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

Security for a New Century is a bipartisan study group for Congress. We meet regularly with U.S. and international policy professionals to discuss the post-Cold War and post-9/11 security environment. All discussions are off-the-record. It is not an advocacy venue. Please call (202) 223-5956 for more information.