HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL SECURITY DISTRICT APPROVED
Harris County Commissioners Court approves Security District to further improve security for employees, citizens and facilities surrounding the Ship Channel.

Port of Houston Authority | June 10, 2009

HOUSTON, TX– Harris County Commissioners Court has approved a measure to further improve security for employees, residents and facilities surrounding the Houston Ship Channel. The unanimous court vote gave final approval for creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District, a public-private partnership that will fund enhancements to security technology, infrastructure and processes along the ship channel.

Commissioners Court approval on June 9, 2009, was the final step authorizing creation of the security district supported by private industry, law enforcement and public officials. A majority of facilities which will be in the security district approved creation of the district earlier this year. Security district projects and services apply to members within the district who have waterside and landside facilities, as well as associated supply chain and support industry surrounding the Houston Ship Channel community.

Although primarily intended to deter terrorism, the security district will deter theft and other security and safety issues. The improved processes and technology as well as additional personnel and equipment will be applied during more routine events, such as hurricanes, evacuations, or plant upsets. Plans will mitigate disruptions and help members recover and restore normal operations more quickly, according to district organizers.

The security district includes the Port of Houston and more than 100 refinery, chemical and marine facilities which will pay operations and maintenance assessments to the district. These funds supplement more than $31 million in Homeland Security Grants secured by Harris County to install technology and infrastructure to enhance security and increase preparedness and response capability. In addition to the technology and infrastructure, the security district includes specially trained Harris County Sheriffs Office personnel, marked patrol cars and patrol boats to provide rapid response times and improved communication with security district facilities. Harris County is a partner in the security district through in-kind services.

Harris County Public Infrastructure Department engaged security experts, such as University of Houston’s Southwest Public Safety Technology Center director Pat Bellamy, and industry security managers, as well as engineering firms to design proven, state-of-the-art security systems. Infrastructure improvements include wireless and fiber optic-wired communications systems, including integrated analytics and intelligent video software; surveillance and detection cameras, including closed-circuit television; night vision and motion detection technology; and land and water detection components such as radar, sonar, and security sensors.

In June 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 3011 authored by State Representative Wayne Smith and sponsored by State Senator Mike Jackson, which authorized the creation of the district. The effort also enjoyed bipartisan support from our federal representatives - from Congressman Gene Green who helped get this effort started in the early stages to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in her role as chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection. Commissioner Sylvia R. Garcia and County Judge Ed Emmett pushed through final approval for the security district.
“The bottom line is that this security district makes our residents more secure from homeland security threats to our local industry,” stated Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “Industry, the port, Harris County, the University of Houston, and other local government agencies are working together for a safer and more secure region.”

“This district creates a partnership that will definitely produce results,” said Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2 Sylvia R. Garcia. “The nature of securing our region from harm is so complex that we need this district to ensure that we are all on the same page in providing the most comprehensive safety net with the dollars we have.”

Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia added, “This initiative will facilitate communication and cooperation among local law enforcement jurisdictions and the private sector to better protect this vital area of our community.”
“The district allows us to have a coordinated, system-wide approach to security for the entire waterway,” said Port of Houston Authority Chairman James T. Edmonds. “Its creation is important not just for the Port of Houston but the state of Texas. This public-private partnership will now serve as a security model for the nation to keep our ports, our region and our country safe.”

“The ship channel industry helped create the district because it keeps people safe — our communities, employees and facilities will be safer and more secure,” said James Griffin, chairman-elect of the East Harris County Manufacturers Association. “This district benefits all of our members and the associated businesses and industries that supply or buy our products.”
Pat Bellamy of the University of Houston added, “The University of Houston’s Southwest Public Safety Technology Center has engaged in this public-private partnership from the beginning because we understand the importance of using proven, state-of-the-art technology for security surveillance and interaction to keep our region safe. We also are dedicated to educating the next generation of engineering and security professionals to address our region’s security needs.”

The district will be governed by a board of directors to be elected by security district members. At least eight directors from private industry will be selected to represent the district's security zones. Three other directors will include a representative of the port authority, a director appointed by the county, and a director appointed by the Harris County Mayors and Council Association. A steering committee representative of the partners involved in creating the security district will plan election details.

Congressman Peter King, Key Lawmaker On Homeland Security, Gets First-Hand Look At Houston Ship Channel Security Partnership

Port of Houston Authority | May 19, 2008

Congressman Peter King (R-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, visited the Port of Houston today and was briefed on the Port of Houston's multi-layered security program by representatives of the Port of Houston Authority and its federal and local government partners. He also toured the PHA's Mobile Command Center.

PHA Managing Director Wade Battles explains some of the high-tech communications equipment at PHA's Mobile Command Center to Congressman Peter King (R-N.Y.)

One of the largest ports in the world, the Port of Houston is made up of the Port of Houston Authority and more than 150 private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel, which is home to the second largest petrochemical complex in the world.

To improve security within the Houston Ship Channel area, PHA, industry leaders and local area government came together to propose the creation of a unique public-private partnership, the Houston Ship Channel Security District. The purpose of the district is to provide operation and maintenance funds to leverage and support an improved security infrastructure across the Houston Ship Channel. The district was authorized by the Texas State Legislature in 2007 through H.B. 3011, authored by Texas State Representative Wayne Smith and sponsored by Texas State Senator Mike Jackson.

"The Houston Ship Channel Security District is an innovative step forward," said King, who created the first draft of port security legislation. "I was struck by the tremendous level of cooperation. We are in a new world since 9/11 and we must find ways to finance security needs and work together with law enforcement. You can never have enough levels of security but the Port of Houston is doing as much as it can do."

Capt. William J. Diehl, U.S. Coast Guard, Houston-Galveston Sector Commander, said, "The cooperation shown along the Houston Ship Channel to initiate a more regional approach to security is something we very much support at the U.S. Coast Guard. We are looking forward to working with the district and see many benefits to this cooperative partnership."

Chief Dennis Storemski, Director, Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, City of Houston; PHA Managing Director Wade Battles; Carlos Fontanez, Operations Specialist, Houston Field Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Sylvia Garcia, Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner; Capt. William Diehl, U.S. Coast Guard, Houston-Galveston Sector Commander; Congressman Peter King (R-N.Y.); David Seitz, East Harris County Manufacturers Association; PHA Commissioner Janiece Longoria; and PHA Operations Director Jimmy Jamison.

When fully implemented, the Houston Ship Channel Security District will provide an integrated security strategy which increases the level of security for both the waterside and landside facilities along the Houston Ship Channel, as well as the associated supply chain and support industry surrounding the ship channel. The projects and services of the district are designed to increase preparedness and response needed to address potential threats within the district boundary.

In addition to the Port of Houston Authority, security district members may include East Harris County Manufacturers Association; Maritime company facilities regulated by MTSA (Maritime Transportation Security Act); and Harris County and a representative appointed by the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association.

Ship channel security partners include Harris County Precinct 2; Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management; Harris County Sheriff's Office; TranStar partners — TxDOT, METRO and City of Houston; Houston Ship Channel Security Council; University of Houston; and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Homeland Security: All Day, Every Day

Law Enforcement Technology | July 15, 2007

By Linda Spagnoli

It is our goal to protect Houston's citizens every day and we are achieving that goal," says Dennis Storemski, director of the Houston (Texas) Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Unfortunately, the very real risk for terrorism incidents and natural disasters requires agencies to be ever-vigilant in their readiness and preparation. In a city such as Houston, population 2 million, opportunities for terrorism and natural disaster abound.

"The city of Houston includes every one of the 17 categories of threat targets designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)," explains Lt. Gary Scheibe of the Houston Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Nearly every sector of the economy also is represented in this sprawling city. Petrochemical production, natural gas, oil, banking, agriculture, cargo handling, health care, universities, transportation centers, stadiums, aeronautics, military installations and nuclear facilities represent the most visible potential targets. Perhaps though, the most talked about threat to the Houston area is the possible disruption of the flow of refined petroleum products for which there are only a few weeks reserve.

For Houston's first responders, whether the incident is caused by terrorism, accident or natural disaster does not change their immediate goals — to save lives and stabilize the environment. That could mean putting out a fire, containing a hazmat spill, or conducting a rescue or evacuation. In a city of this size, even an overturned 18-wheeler on Interstate 10 at rush hour could affect tens of thousands of commuters.

But Houston's preparedness is paying off. A recent transformer fire at a CenterPoint Energy power transmission facility left 17,000 customers without power for a short time. The event might have resulted in a carefully orchestrated response drill, but for this prepared city, it was business as usual. Witnesses first reported hearing an explosion, but it was not an act of terrorism, just an accident. The incident occurred near a major traffic artery, which was temporarily shut down. There was a release of oil-based coolant used at the facility that was quickly identified and contained. No injuries were reported. The event was broadcast on national news, but was a non-issue by the next day.

To maintain this level of preparation, DHS has designated Houston a "Tier One" city, which means more funding is allocated to the city, but the funds must protect more people. Designed to use funding appropriately and effectively, UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) grant money is used to secure technology that serves the city every day. The following looks at some of the technology UASI grant funds have allowed Houston to acquire.

Information "fusion centers"

Effective terrorism prevention, protection, preparedness, response and recovery efforts begin with timely and accurate information about who the enemies are, where they operate, how they are supported, what targets they intend to attack, and the method of attack they intend to use. To aid in this information dissemination, a number of cities, including Houston, have created information "fusion centers" to serve as a hub for intrastate (or intra-regional) efforts to collect, analyze, disseminate and use terrorism-related information.

Houston's new fusion center, installed at the Houston Emergency Center, was created through a $1 million UASI grant. And, it is a model of efficiency in gathering and disseminating intelligence.

The view from the plexiglass-walled fusion center is impressive. It overlooks Houston's massive 911 combined dispatch center, which handles more than 1 million calls per year in a facility equipped with hundreds of workstations and large overhead screens.

At the center, analysts review and record data, and maintain records on suspicious activity each day. That information, along with maps, building configurations and traffic movement, is made available to every city, state and federal agency responding to an incident. Scheibe notes the fusion center operates daily and can gear up to full capacity in about an hour when necessary.

Protecting the land and the sea

As the world's 10th largest seaport, Houston handles more foreign waterborne tonnage than any other U.S. port. The 52-mile Houston Ship Channel, serving the nation's fourth largest city, contains the world's second largest petrochemical complex. Along the length of waterway winding from Galveston to within 8 miles of downtown Houston, exist public and private entities moving all classes of cargo including petroleum, liquid natural gas, grain, industrial products, chemicals, food, textiles, electronics and automotive products. Ninety-five percent of all container cargo that moves through Texas is handled at this port's container terminal. All major rail and trucking lines converge at the port to transport goods to more than 30 million people living within 500 miles of Houston. A new container terminal and passenger cruise ship terminal are being built, which will nearly triple the capacity of both.

Providing security from terrorist attacks as well as natural disasters is a daunting task in this target-rich environment. One significant change since the September 11 attacks has been in information sharing between port-based agencies.

The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for the vessels entering the channel. They check the ship's registry and conduct safety inspections. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is responsible for the contents of the cargo. They match manifests with visual confirmation. The Port of Houston Authority responds to all waterborne and waterfront emergencies. This includes fires, explosions and any incident that would interfere with the flow of ship channel traffic. It also maintains its fireboats and land-based stations for an immediate 24/7 response, beginning from the Turning Basin to the Bayport Terminal.

"Before 9/11, each agency was concerned with our own security within the port — there wasn't much sharing of information," says Wade Battles, managing director of the Port of Houston Authority. "In fact, most of it was kept secret from other entities. Now we realize what happens next door could have significant consequences on all of us, so sharing intelligence has become necessary and is welcome."

According to Battles, the Port of Houston has always been safe; but considering the heightened threat levels since 9/11, he has taken a three-step approach to enhancing and maintaining security at a higher level. "First we hardened the perimeter; we then increased intelligence and information sharing, and finally we strengthened our relationships with law enforcement in the surrounding communities to achieve appropriate responses to threats and incidents," he explains.

Hardening the perimeter meant installing additional physical barriers including limiting vehicle access to certain parts of the port. Pressure-sensitive fencing, concrete barricades and motion detectors are just some of the security devices that have been added. Port vehicle entrances also are monitored with cameras, identification is checked and license plate numbers are recorded.

Sharing information and intelligence reports about suspicious activity in and around the port, including access roads, bridges and tunnels, are standard procedures. Background checks for personnel and companies delivering goods to the port also occur.

Finally, regular meetings are held to discuss security with all public and private interests along the channel. The discussions are essential in developing response, shutdown and recovery procedures with first responders should an incident occur. Additionally, drills are conducted to ensure the coordination of all emergency personnel.

Designated as eligible for significant funding from DHS Port Security Grants, the Port of Houston developed a strategic partnership, which took an act of the Texas legislature to achieve.

Hailed as a model for other ports around the country, House Bill 3011, authored by Rep. Wayne Smith, creates a Ship Channel Security District. The bill, passed by the Texas House and Senate, and signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry, went into effect June 20. Creating a separate security district allows both public and private interests along the channel to cooperate in applying for funding as a unique entity. The first round of funding is expected to bring more than $30 million to enhance security on the waterway.

The district will be governed by commissioners representing industry, port operations and municipal governments along the channel with funds being administered by Harris County. The new Ship Channel Security District also will allow authorities to install additional surveillance and communications equipment.

Purchases of sonar devices and additional surveillance cameras along the channel also are expected with the first round of DHS Port Security Grant funding. The operation and maintenance of the equipment is provided by the Ship Channel Security District.

Technology helps get the job done

According to Capt. John Anderson of the Houston Police Department's Homeland Security Division, the spending of any grant dollars is carefully coordinated with Mayor Bill White's office to most effectively meet the city's needs.

"We have to be able to respond effectively to any emergency, and that means having equipment we use every day, not just for major disasters," Anderson says. "Local police and fire services respond daily to emergencies and crisis situations. The major change for first responders today has been the improvement in emergency response efforts through better coordination, integration and interoperability between not only police and fire services, but also other local, state and federal agencies as well as with the private sector."

Response to natural disasters, terrorist events and other emergencies can require specialized equipment. To meet those needs, the city has purchased dedicated equipment using UASI grants.

And $1.8 million in Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP) Funding supplied the Houston PD with a helicopter and eight bomb squad rapid response vehicles.

Slightly more than $9.5 million over the last seven rounds of UASI grants allowed the Houston PD to purchase mobile and portable computers ($4.9 million) and personal protective equipment for 5,000 police officers ($1.2 million). The remaining portion allocated for terrorism prevention was used to purchase a mobile command post, mobile video camera surveillance truck, bomb squad and SWAT mobile command posts, waterway threat prevention (boats and dive equipment), crime scene recovery equipment, and SWAT team support.

Additionally, a new Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, designed by Northrop Grumman, has been added to Houston's combined dispatch center. This AVL system is the second-largest of its kind in the country. Jill Arrasmith, manager of strategic initiatives for Northrop Grumman, says Houston's combined 911 center utilizes the same technology as Chicago, which is the largest combined police/fire/EMS consolidated dispatch center in the United States.

Installed just a few weeks ago at a cost of $1.2 million, Houston's CAD AVL system has no limit to the number of vehicles it can manage with AVL, although it is expected to average 2,500 vehicles at one time.

"One unique aspect of Houston's installation is that the system will be used every day, integrated with CAD technology already in place," Arrasmith says. "It also can be used for overall views of the city's resources during a major disaster."

Houston's AVL allows for recording vehicles' movements, and following a particular vehicle en route to a location. It allows command personnel to make instant decisions about allocating equipment and personnel, as well as knowing exactly where backup units are.

Each individual workstation at the dispatch center can view vehicle locations using the new application, as do the mobile field units themselves. Command personnel can view first responder resources on a variety of portable devices.

Arrasmith says similar applications are used by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Chicago and New York City fire departments.

The future of communications

Storemski says the biggest challenge in Houston now, as in many large cities, is complying with federal guidelines for interoperable communications systems. "We have published a Request For Information (RFI) to build a new radio system, converting from the present UHF to the 700 to 800 MHz range," he says. "It could cost more than $100 million to develop."

Complicating issues is the misconception that first responders can't talk to each other when necessary. That simply isn't true, says Storemski. "We employ gateways when necessary and we are able to communicate effectively," he says. "Frankly, there are times when it is not desirable for everyone to be talking and listening. We handle each situation separately, and if necessary, we can all communicate at the same time. Command staff is always in communication with each other."

Furthermore, rural areas have different needs than urban centers. "What works here in Houston may not work well at all outside the city — one size does not fit all," Storemski says. "The optimum level of radio interoperability, according to the DHS SafeCom project, is achieved by shared systems. We will probably never reach that level of interoperability in the state of Texas given the fact that so many jurisdictions use VHF and UHF frequencies, nor is it necessary. It is however practical and feasible regionally within the state."

Recently, Houston participated in a mandatory communications exercise addressing redundancy and interoperability. "The exercise was successful, and we were able to perform all the required operations in the allotted time," he continues.

On a more practical note, Storemski wishes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would require all vendors to make their radio equipment interoperable. "It used to be that you could buy anyone's radio equipment and talk on it," he says. "Now it seems to be vendor specific, and that locks you into subsequent purchases from the same vendor, even though their cost may be higher than others. P25 (the P25 suite of standards involves digital Land Mobile Radio (LMR) services for public safety entities) almost gets you there, but not quite."

More changes to come

In September 2005, Houston's hotels were at maximum capacity from Hurricane Katrina's evacuees, when three weeks later, Hurricane Rita, another Category 5 storm, appeared headed directly for the Houston Ship Channel.

Although a full-scale evacuation of Houston was not indicated, many residents, terrified over the catastrophic aftermath of Katrina, chose to leave town. What transpired in approximately 36 hours was a nearly complete evacuation of Houston's metro area.

"I suspect that too many people left the city not because they feared the danger associated with the hurricane, but because they did not want to deal with the inconvenience of power outages and other consequences associated with the aftermath of a hurricane," says Storemski.

Houston is 50 miles inland so Galveston and other affected coastal areas must have the opportunity to evacuate first. Residents living inland in areas not subject to the storm surge are expected to make their own decision to evacuate. "Certainly, if one's home or dwelling is not capable of withstanding hurricane-force winds, they need to move to a more secure structure," says Storemski. "But that does not necessarily mean leaving town."

New technology is on the way to reduce some of the anxiety and fear encountered in these situations. "We purchased new software to more accurately predict wind speeds in each zip code area of the city," Storemski explains. "Along with meteorologists, we will be able to deliver more detailed information to Houston residents so they will be able to make more informed decisions."

As the fourth largest metro area in the nation with the 10th largest seaport, Houston has long been on the frontlines of protecting the nation's economic infrastructure. The efforts to create a fusion center, beef up port security, add communications interoperability and enhance first response technology enables the city to keep its citizens safe from disaster — all day, every day.

Linda Spagnoli is a law enforcement advocate in the areas of communication, child safety, officer safety and sex offender tracking. Her focus is on interagency data sharing, emergency communications, media relations and funding. Spagnoli maintains her position as director of communications for Code Amber, the largest Internet distribution of Amber Alerts. She may be reached at ljspagnoli@aol.com.

Texas Gov. Authorizes Creation of Houston Ship Channel Security District

Port of Houston Authority | August 14, 2007

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signs House Bill 3011, authorizing creation of the authorizing creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District. Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 3011, authorizing creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District — the nation's first of its kind and modeled after a management district. The signing took place at the Port of Houston Authority Executive Office Building.

The Texas Legislature, in its 80th biannual session, authorized the creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District — an entity, proponents hope, that will serve as a security model for ports throughout the United States. The brainchild of Port of Houston Authority Chairman Jim Edmonds, HSCSD is a public-private partnership designed to help improve security within the Houston Ship Channel area by assisting with the local share and operations and maintenance cost of security infrastructure.

The district will be governed by a board of directors with staggered two-year terms. At least eight directors from the private petrochemical, chemical and refinery industries will be selected to represent the district's security zones. Two representatives of each zone will be selected by a majority of facility owners within each zone. Other directors will be a representative of the port authority, a director appointed by the county, and a final director appointed by the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association. The next step in the process will involve distribution of a petition to be signed by 50 percent of the facilities within the district and 50 percent of the facilities representing the assessed value of the district. Once signed, the petition will go to Harris County Commissioners, who will then vote on whether to approve the district.

The security district's predecessor was the Port Strategic Security Council, formed three years ago after U.S. Homeland Security Department officials visited the Port of Houston and explained what criteria went into determining how much in security grants ship channel industries would receive. Representatives of ship channel businesses were told the department was looking for a port to apply for grants that woul address port-wide security issues in addition to facility-by-facility needs. Funding increased over the next two years and the challenge then became how to fund the continued operation of security devices, such as Closed Circuit TV cameras, patrol boats and virtual fences. HB 3011 was officially signed by the Governor on June 15, 2007, shortly after it passed the Legislature.

Partnership Will Keep Port of Houston Secure

Houston Business Journal | August 15, 2007

By Christine Hall

Gov. Rick Perry was in Houston Tuesday to sign House Bill 3011 into law that will create a public-private partnership known as the Houston Ship Channel Security District.

The Port of Houston Authority said the district concept, created by Jim Edmonds, port chairman, will serve as a security model for ports throughout the United States.

"This is an important step in the ability to protect a vital resource of the state, and will be the example for every other port in the United States," Perry said. "The district is the kind of public-private partnership we have been trying to create to ensure the future economic safety of the state."

The bill, which took effect June 15, gives the district the power to fund the local operations and maintenance of security infrastructure.

Rep. Wayne Smith authored the bill in House of Representatives, while Sen. Mike Jackson led the bill in the Senate.

"This is the first of its kind in the country, and ensures the port, county and industry work together in the future," Smith said.

The port worked with the Port Strategic Security Council, a public-private group formed in 2004 to coordinate the spending of $31 million in port security grants to the council and Harris County.

The group includes Harris County, the port, cities along the Houston Ship Channel and private petrochemical, chemical and refinery facilities near the channel, as well as the East Harris County Manufacturers' Association.

Projects initially utilizing the grants included increasing maritime domain awareness, improving interoperability, providing patrol boats and reducing risk of a terrorist attack.

New "Port Security Council" Made Official

KTRK/HOUSTON | August 14, 2007

A new law is on the books in Texas. It will increase security at the Port of Houston.

It took effect last month, but Governor Rick Perry was at the Ship Channel on Tuesday to ceremoniously sign it into law.

The bill creates the Port Strategic Security Council — a group consisting of companies and government — which will join together to help secure the port, which is home to two-fifths of the nation's petro-chemical capacity.

"If there is a place that needs our security, 40 percent of the capacity for the petrochemical industry would be at the very top of that list," Perry said.

The Harris County Commissioner's Court will be overseeing the new Security Council.

UH-Supported Security Bill Signed into Law

College's Southwest Public Safety Technology Center to facilitate improved security measures at Houston Ship Channel

Engineering Communications | June 28, 2007

By Toby Weber

Steven Pei, executive director of the college's Southwest Public Safety Technology Center (SWTC) and professor of electrical engineering, and Pat Bellamy, director of the SWTC Test and Evaluation Division and chair of the Houston Ship Channel Security Council, catch up with the chairman of the Port of Houston Authority, James Edmonds, and Scott Forbes, POHA government relations manager, at the Port of Houston Appreciation Lunch on June 13. Photo by Mark Lacy.

Legislation championed by the UH Cullen College of Engineering’s Southwest Public Safety Technology Center (SWTC) and the Houston Ship Channel Security Council (HSCSC) was signed by Texas Governor Rick Perry last month enabling the creation of a groundbreaking public/private partnership to improve security along the Houston Ship Channel.

The legislation allows for the creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District (SCSD) with the consent of 51% of the businesses operating along the 59-mile-long channel, as well as owners of 51% of appraised value in the district.

If formed, the SCSD would decide how to best protect the security along the Houston Ship Channel. A board representing the various municipalities, agencies and businesses along the ship channel would manage the district, helping support operations and maintenance and providing funds related to these efforts.

The SWTC played a notable role in the creation of this legislation. The idea was first put forth by the Houston Ship Channel Security Council (formerly the Port Strategic Security Council), a group convened by Harris County and chaired by Pat Bellamy, director of the SWTC’s Test & Evaluation Division.

“The SWTC did what it always does in these efforts: it enabled collaboration by creating a ‘can do’ mindset along with an environment where issues were discussed openly and resolved appropriately," he said. "To me, enabling this type of collaboration, planning and guidance is the greatest contribution and leadership that a university can provide to make very complex projects, such as these, successful.”

SWTC also served as a neutral platform within which stakeholders of the ship channel met to discuss its creation and formation. This role of a neutral party helped pave the way for an agreement supported not only by local municipalities but also by the very businesses that from which the SCSD will collect fees. By having the cooperation of business and government the success of the SCSD is much more likely, said Harris County Precinct Two Commissioner Sylvia Garcia.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) looks upon the public/private security partnership enabled by this legislation as a potential model for other ports and ship channels around the country, added Steven Pei, executive director of the SWTC. The DHS has supplied funds for major equipment purchases with the expectation that state and local governments and local industry will be responsible supporting the ongoing operation and maintenance of this equipment. Should the SCSD be formed, it will coordinate the upkeep of boats, vehicles and equipment Harris County is expects to purchase with recent DHS grants.

Notably, the SWTC has played other important roles over the past few years in improving security in the greater Houston area and throughout Texas. The center was founded in 2005 with the mission of training the public safety workforce, developing and deploying new technologies for this workforce, serving as a neutral evaluator of technology solutions and as a neutral platform for various government and business entities to meet and discuss the challenges they face.

In the case of the Houston Ship Channel, the SWTC’s neutrality has been the most essential. On the engineering end, the center has specified engineering requirements for a number of security systems that are or will be deployed along the channel, including video surveillance systems, radar systems and equipment for a central command center. The SWTC, in fact, was recently awarded $216,000 from Harris County in support of these efforts.

And, as noted above, as an organization that has no rooting interests in the discussions that take place among the cities and businesses along the ship channel, the SWTC is looked to as a facilitator of negotiations and as a group that can work fairly with all parties impacted by a particular issue.

“From my perspective, the development of both the Houston Ship Channel Security Council and the Ship Channel Security District were team efforts," said Bellamy. "Harris County, the Port of Houston Authority, industry experts, the United States Coast Guard, the Southwest Public Safety Technology Center and others collaborated to create a model for a sustainable public/private partnership within a port or ship channel environment in the United States and, possibly, the world.”

Ship Channel Goes High-Tech Against Terror

Houston Chronicle | September 5, 2006

By Bill Murphy

When U.S. diplomats picked up intelligence about a terrorist threat to refineries in Pasadena, Calif., security experts quickly concluded that the target actually was the Houston suburb of the same name. The city in Southern California has no refineries. The July 2002 tip to the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, made it clear to local officials and Houston Ship Channel industries that potential attacks on the second-largest conglomeration of petrochemical facilities in the world were not idle fears.

"That threat was a wake-up call," said U.S. Rep. Gene Green, a Democrat whose 29th District includes the Ship Channel. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the 2002 threat, the Department of Homeland Security, Harris County, local police and Ship Channel industries have spent tens of millions of dollars to prevent terrorists from carrying out an attack. Now, with $31 million in Department of Homeland Security grants awarded in 2005, the county and Port of Houston Authority are taking additional measures to keep terrorists away from Ship Channel facilities.

Potential targets include fuel tanks at refineries, storage tanks containing toxic chemicals, bridges and tunnels. Another potential threat: sinking a ship in the channel, an attack that could close the waterway temporarily, cause fuel shortages nationwide and send the prices of crude oil and gasoline upward. To prevent such attacks, the county and port authority are using the grants to buy high-tech cameras, radar units, infrared imagers, sonar equipment, a bomb-detecting robot and pager-size radiation detection devices.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office plans to buy five boats and set up a marine unit that will work with the U.S. Coast Guard to patrol the channel. The Coast Guard now patrols and oversees all marine operations in the area. The Guard conducted anti-terrorism exercises in the Galveston area as recently as last week. "The Ship Channel is a huge area," said Pat Bellamy, chairman of the Port Strategic Security Council.

"The folks targeting that area will never let up. We always will have to be diligent and continue to move forward and make improvements." Details of the threats and security measures were contained in grant applications obtained by the Houston Chronicle. Bellamy said their disclosure would not compromise anti-terrorism efforts. Officials would not say how soon all the new measures will be in place. Security efforts along the 52-mile channel focus on the 25-mile stretch from Morgan's Point to the Turning Basin. The channel area in Harris County includes 43 miles of frontage roads, three highway bridges, the Washburn Tunnel, the Lynchburg Ferry and numerous waterfront industrial sites .

Securing such a vast area is complicated. Much of the $31 million will go for cameras and gadgetry designed to detect scuba divers, pedestrians and drivers who may intend to carry out an attack, according to the grant applications.

About 250 cameras that can pan, tilt and zoom will be installed along the channel, highways and perimeters of industrial sites, supplementing an existing camera system. Also on the purchase list are thermal imagers, which can detect people moving at night, 15-20 radar units and sonar equipment to detect divers and other underwater threats.

The monitoring will be mostly automated, with new software programmed to alert security personnel to possible intruders. The Coast Guard will continue requiring that recreational boats obtain permission before entering industrial parts of the channel, making it easier for the cameras to identify unauthorized vessels.

Much of the new equipment will be installed in port and county-owned areas not now under surveillance by channel industry. Many channel facilities have "very robust" security systems of their own, Bellamy said. The region "is developing a network that will let technology be the eyes and ears," said County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, who represents the precinct that includes the channel.

"You can't do it with the Coast Guard and constables and sheriffs alone." The county is seeking an additional $9.1 million Homeland Security grant this year. It would require the county to put up $3 million. The Port Authority has applied for a $4 million grant, said Wade Battles, the authority's managing director.

The money would be used in part to buy vehicles to increase patrols of the Washburn Tunnel, Sherman Bridge, Hartman Bridge, Channel Toll Bridge, Lynchburg Ferry and the Bayport Container area. The money also would go for additional cameras and high-tech gear to extend the network of observed areas.