ENERGY DEPARTMENT MOVES TO BOOST SECURITY
Speaking to an audience at the Savannah River nuclear site
in Aiken, S.C., Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced plans
for widespread security upgrades to better protect U.S. nuclear
weapon laboratories from potential terrorist attacks. According
to Secretary Abraham, the plans include:
- Consolidating nuclear material. Reduce the number of facilities
that require the highest levels of protection.
- Enhancing protective forces. Create a specialized security
unit to guard facilities, with training and capabilities similar
to military special forces units.
- Federalization. Federalizing DOE security forces, many of
which are now contractor personnel.
- Protecting sensitive information. Expand performance testing
of information systems to identify actual and potential vulnerabilities
to cyber threats.
- Keyless security environment. Replace centuries old technology
that relies on the use of mechanical keys with new technologies.
"We must make certain changes," Abraham said. "We must adapt
to a world that changed three Septembers ago," he added.
For full article by Marina Malenic, reporter for the Global
Security Newswire, see story on the web at: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0504/0501004gsn1.htm
