{
  "id": "RL31990",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31990",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101662,
      "date": "2004-02-05",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-08T14:28:26.598894",
      "title": "Pipeline Security: An Overview of Federal Activities and Current Policy Issues",
      "summary": "Nearly half a million miles of oil and gas transmission pipeline crisscross the United States. The\nnation's pipeline industry has made substantial investments to protect these systems and respond to\nthe possibility of terror attacks. However, U.S. pipelines are inherently vulnerable because of their\nnumber and dispersion. Due to the essential role pipelines play in our economy, Congress is\nexamining the adequacy of federal pipeline security efforts.\n  The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), within the Department of Homeland\nSecurity (DHS), is the lead federal agency for security in all modes of transportation -- including\npipelines. The agency oversees industry's identification and protection of critical pipeline assets\nthrough security reviews, risk assessment and inspections. The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS),\nwithin the Department of Transportation (DOT), is the lead federal regulator of pipeline\n safety . \nWhile TSA and the OPS have distinct missions, pipeline security and safety are intertwined. There\nare questions about the appropriate division of responsibility between the agencies and about the\nresources they will have for mandated security activities.\n  As the lead agency for pipeline security, TSA expects pipeline operators to maintain security\nplans based on security guidance initially circulated in 2002. TSA also plans to issue pipeline\nsecurity regulations, although it is unclear if and when it will do so. This agency also intends to issue\nnew analytic models to help operators identify critical facilities and assess vulnerability to terrorist\nattack. In 2003, TSA inspected 24 of the largest 25-30 pipeline operators to review their security\npractices and collect critical asset data. TSA found that nearly all of these operators had met or\nexceeded minimum security guidelines. All but two of the 24 operators also provided TSA with their\nsecurity plans and critical infrastructure information. The OPS joined TSA on approximately\none-third of these inspections and expects a continued security role. The agencies have no formal\ncooperative agreement defining responsibilities and at this point do not think they need one.\n  Industry and government agencies generally assert that efforts to promote U.S. pipeline security\nare on the right track. Nonetheless, TSA's current funding for pipeline security will provide only\nlimited capability for inspections and enforcement of any future regulations. The President' s\nFY2005 budget request does not include a line item for TSA's pipeline activities; they will be funded\nfrom the agency's general operational budget. In addition to appropriations issues, Congress is\nconsidering several policy concerns: Operators believe they need more specific federal threat\ninformation to improve security decisions. Many operators also believe they need clear and stable\ndefinitions of what constitutes a \"critical\" asset. Finally, operators are concerned about potentially\nredundant, conflicting regulatory regimes under TSA and the OPS. This report will be updated as\nevents warrant.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
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          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31990",
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          "images": null
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Appropriations",
    "Intelligence and National Security"
  ]
}