Environmental Progress - Summer/Fall 2002

Environmental Progress : Summer/Fall 2002

IEPA Plays Key Role In Homeland Security

Would be lead agency in responding to chemical terrorist acts

Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, Illinois EPA has played a key role in the state's Terrorism Task Force and Homeland Security program initiated by Gov. George H. Ryan.

The Illinois EPA will be the lead state agency in responding to the chemical portion of any terrorist event that may occur. In addition, the Agency has a leadership role in protecting the state's public water supplies.

Just after Sept. 11, 2001, the Illinois EPA created an internal planning group called the Disaster Strategic Management Advisory and Recovery Team to plan rapid deployment and utilization of Agency resources.

The Agency has more than 30 years of experience in responding to chemical spills and releases and its highly-trained technical staff are key members of the State Interagency Response Teams (SIRT). Illinois EPA provides about a dozen chemical/technical experts from the Office of Emergency Response. Last year this staff responded to 716 incidents and consequently they are well-trained and experienced.

Extensive Training Held

Illinois EPA staff complements staff from other state agencies on the SIRT and participated and assisted in extensive training. During 2001 each team trained together for 163 hours of high-level hazardous materials instruction and continues training at least one day on a bimonthly basis. Illinois EPA staff also serve on the State Weapons of Mass Destruction Teams.

Illinois EPA Emergency Response staff have been equipped with new state-of-the-art field detection capability to quickly analyze a variety of chemical threats and facilitate a quick and appropriate response.

The Agency has implemented new information security procedures and Freedom of Information Act policies to safeguard information that might potentially be used by terrorists. For example, some sensitive information on the Internet, such as drinking water well locations, is now available only by password to pre-authorized users who have identified their legitimate need for such data.

Security measures, funding

Illinois EPA has worked closely with public water supply and wastewater operators to enhance security.

In late 2001 and early 2002, Illinois EPA sponsored a series of 12 regional workshops around the state on vulnerability assessment for public water supply operators.

Fifteen of the state's largest public water supplies have been approved to receive grants from USEPA for vulnerability assessments and public water supply security statewide is being coordinated by Illinois EPA's Division of Public Water Supplies through another USEPA grant. Additional vulnerability assessment and security training will be carried out with the funding. Illinois EPA is also coordinating security training for wastewater system operators.

The Division of Public Water Supplies has developed a phone, fax and e-mail system to quickly communicate security alerts to the more than 1800 community drinking water supplies.

Illinois EPA participated in October and November 2001 in presenting the Governor's Homeland Security Regional Training Seminars at 16 cities around the state for local government officials.