SECURITY, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

DOT Performance Goals:

• Rapid, effective decision-making in emergencies affecting the viability of the transportation sector.
• Expert transportation sector intelligence.
• Preparedness for response to emergencies affecting the transportation sector.
• Effective response to emergencies affecting the transportation sector.

This funding request enables the FHWA and DOT to balance the need to protect critical transportation infrastructure with the safety, mobility and economic needs of the nation, respond to emergency need following disasters of all types, and providing for rapid recovery of transportation in all modes from intentional harm and natural disasters.

Funding for this performance goal:
$(000)

STRATEGIC GOALS &OUTCOMES by Performance Measure	FY 2007 ENACTED	FY 2008 ENACTED	FY 2009 REQUEST
5. SECURITY, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Hazmat Emergency Response
c. Other.	369,905	385,720	365,756
Subtotal, Performance Outcome	369,905	385,720	365,756
Total — Security, Preparedness and Response Strategic Goal	369,905	385,720	365,756

This request will allow the FHWA to enable State departments of transportation to implement critical security enhancement activities in the areas of critical infrastructure vulnerability assessments and countermeasure deployment; emergency operations, preparedness and response; freight and border security operations; and national defense mobility using the Strategic Highway Network. 

This request will allow DOT to continue to address State and local needs in recovering from natural and man-made disasters, to provide technical assistance and guidance to Federal-aid Highway Program fund recipients on strategies designed to protect critical transportation infrastructure from attack as well as in responding to emergencies of all types.

Performance Issue

The highway system is not only critical to the Nation’s economic vitality and quality of life, but it also plays a key role in every emergency event.  The transportation system must function efficiently in order to evacuate threatened populations including special needs and transit-dependent populations and pets, allow first responders to get to the scene, and facilitate the movement of supplies into and out of the area.  Access to critical infrastructure during and after an incident must be safeguarded and mobility must be restored in the days and months after an event. 

Anticipated FY 2008 Accomplishments

• Provide training and technical assistance to State and local transportation agencies to enable them to enhance the security of the nation’s highway network and to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies of all types. 
• Provide risk assessment and countermeasure training to State bridge engineers.  The results of the pooled fund studies into blast induced loadings on bridge structures and countermeasure development work will also be disseminated through this FHWA-led training effort.  The FHWA will continue its collaborative effort with AASHTO to incorporate cost effective security strategies into current and future bridge design guidance and standards.
• Incorporate the results of the Security Self Assessments conducted at the field level with each State DOT to incorporate security into the project development and business practices of the State.
• Release the results from the FHWA/TSA sponsored regional workshops that will provide concepts and ideas for State and local agencies as to how they can enhance transportation security and emergency transportation operational practices. 
• Begin to deliver training, technical assistance and peer support to State departments of transportation on Risk Assessment, Emergency Transportation Operations and Evacuation Planning.  The states contributing to this pooled fund effort will consider options to meet their needs in future years. 
• Continue to work with TSA in the development of security policy and work to involve the many public and private sector partners in this effort through the Stakeholder Panels organized under the auspices of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and the Transportation Sector Security Plan. 
• In collaboration with the DHS and AASHTO, lead and promote bridge and tunnel security technology through workshops and conferences. 
• Offer the service of the FHWA Engineering Assessment Team to states and other governmental agencies in assessing the security and vulnerability of critical bridges and tunnels.

FY 2009 Performance Budget Request

Federal-aid Highways Program

Federal-aid funds allocated to States will be used to support the projects and initiatives identified in State and local security plans, such as increased bridge surveillance, retrofit of existing facilities, or the enhancement of new facilities to meet current and future security needs.  State departments of transportation will use a portion of their FAHP funds to support the pooled fund Security and Emergency Operations Professional Capacity Building Program to meeting their needs for training and technical assistance in these areas.  Working closely with TSA, the FHWA will encourage States and local communities to use available funds to identify their critical transportation infrastructure, perform risk assessments of those facilities, and implement cost effective countermeasures to reduce risk of catastrophic loss.  The FHWA will encourage State and local governments to consider security program options and strategies identified during the regional workshops conducted in FY 2006-FY 2007.  The FHWA will continue to provide technical assistance and training in areas ranging from risk assessment and countermeasure implementation to emergency preparedness and operations.
In FY 2009, funds will be used to support follow-up activities directed by Congress and the Secretary in improving nationwide evacuation planning and capacity building.  The FHWA will:

• Continue developing a variety of tools to aid emergency management, public safety, transportation and other governmental officials in their attempts to improve evacuation plans and building capacities. 
• Complete the evacuation primer series and conduct Regional workshops on how to build an effective evacuation plan. 
• Inaugurate an Emergency Transportation Operations Knowledge Management Center that will distill key information—including relevant findings, lessons learned and best practices—to be used by officials from multiple disciplines who are engaged in emergency transportation operations.  Expected outcome is to increase the preparedness for emergencies affecting the transportation sector.

Research and ITS

The FHWA, together with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the Department of State, the General Services Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and others have formed a Perimeter Security Testing Working Group to design and test aesthetically enhanced streetscape that function as barrier elements for use at federal properties federal properties nationally and abroad.  The FHWA contributes through the use of models and simulations initially developed for roadside hardware safety analysis.  Funding is requested to engineer (including limited crash testing to verify their effectiveness) alternative barrier treatments that meet the Urban Design and Security Plan adopted by the NCPC in October of 2002.  The parties have a common interest in ensuring that barrier elements that secure the perimeter of federal buildings are tested for reliability against vehicular attack and are designed to be complementary to the surrounding environment.

Proposed FHWA activities in support of national security also include:

• Develop and Deliver Security Training (TRB/AASHTO Survey found training to be a primary need identified by State DOTs)
• Identify and promote best practices and new technology in highway security
• Partner with ASSHTO Special Committee on Transportation Security in delivery of Seminars and Workshops in Highway Security

The FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research program will seek to identify, develop and assess promising innovations that could provide significant improvements to national security and response our surface transportation systems.

Limitation on Administrative Expenses

FTE and administrative resources associated with this strategic initiative are as follows:
21 FTE and $3.6 million.

Responsible Officials: 
Mr. Dan Ferezan, Program Manager for Transportation Security
Mr. Jeffrey F.  Paniati, Associate Administrator for Operations
Mr. King Gee, Associate Administrator for Infrastructure