DHS to Begin Battling Climate Change as Homeland Security Issue???

[revelarts]

"Homeland security" AND "environmental justice"
..Jeez Louise

Napolitano Says DHS to Begin Battling Climate Change as Homeland Security Issue
Friday, December 17, 2010
By J. Brady Howell

Janet Napolitano

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (CNSNews.com/Penny Starr)

(CNSNews.com) - At an all-day White House conference on "environmental justice," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that her department is creating a new task force to battle the effects of climate change on domestic security operations.

Speaking at the first White House Forum on Environmental Justice on Thursday, Napolitano discussed the initial findings of the department’s recently created "Climate Change and Adaptation Task Force."....
...According to the former Arizona governor, the task force would address specific questions, including:

“How will FEMA work with state and local partners to plan for increased flooding or wildfire or hurricane activity that is more serious than we’ve seen before? What assistance can the Coast Guard bring to bear to assist remote villages in, for example, Alaska which already have been negatively affected by changes up in the Arctic?”

The findings from the Homeland Security Department (DHS) also asked: “(H)ow can we focus on how climate change is going to affect our rural citizenry including those who live along our boarders both northern and southern?”

Napolitano did not elaborate on the new task force and the Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to requests by CNSNews.com for additional information on the task force.

The conference did not define “environmental justice,” and the only reference to the task force that can be found is on the DHS Web site. The June 2010 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan states “climate change has the potential to accelerate and intensify extreme weather events which threaten the nation’s sustainability and security.”...

[Gaffer]

Don't worry, that's just a homeland security compound for evacuations when bad weather affects the area. It could house up to a couple of thousand pris... huh refugees.

[revelarts]

O.K. I feel better now.

But what about bad whether NOT caused by Climate change?
I guess that's going to left to the states still.

[fj1200]

Program redundancy, mission creep, groupthink, bandwagon, herd behavior... shows all the signs of "effective" governance.

[Psychoblues]

I would like to read more of that article. Isn't it legal prudence or at least customary to provide a link back to where the information was lifted?

Psychoblues

[Kathianne]

I would like to read more of that article. Isn't it legal prudence or at least customary to provide a link back to where the information was lifted?

Psychoblues

Here's the link:


http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/...battling-clima

[Kathianne]

A couple days later, she's on ABC News discussing Homeland Security and it seems she has a problem with days in a year, like Obama does with the number of states in the union.

Here's the video link:

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/nati...itics-12453917

[Psychoblues]

Here's the link:


http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/...battling-clima

Ohhhhhhhh. OK. Now I see why the original poster didn't want to link back. Some people actually take that garbage seriously. I think it would only be fair to point out that cnsnews openly claims to express rightwing ideology and opinions. But on the premise of the article, I have no problem whatsoever with the DHS making plans for environmental issues, catastrophes and how they relate to our national security. To not do so would be negligent, don't you think?

Thanks for the link, Kath. You're a real peach!!!!!!!!

Psychoblues

[Psychoblues]

This is direct from the Homeland Security website and there is plenty more to absorb over there if you are interested.

HSPD 25 Full Text

Homeland Security Presidential Directive-25

January 9, 2009

SUBJECT: Arctic Region Policy

Purpose

1. This directive establishes the policy of the United States with respect to the Arctic region and directs related implementation actions. This directive supersedes Presidential Decision Directive/NSC-26 (PDD-26; issued 1994) with respect to Arctic policy but not Antarctic policy; PDD-26 remains in effect for Antarctic policy only.

This directive shall be implemented in a manner consistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States, with the obligations of the United States under the treaties and other international agreements to which the United States is a party, and with customary international law as recognized by the United States, including with respect to the law of the sea.

Background

1. The United States is an Arctic nation, with varied and compelling interests in that region. This directive takes into account several developments, including, among others:

1. Altered national policies on homeland security and defense;
2. The effects of climate change and increasing human activity in the Arctic region;
3. The establishment and ongoing work of the Arctic Council; and
4. A growing awareness that the Arctic region is both fragile and rich in resources.

Policy

1. It is the policy of the United States to:

1. Meet national security and homeland security needs relevant to the Arctic region;
2. Protect the Arctic environment and conserve its biological resources;
3. Ensure that natural resource management and economic development in the region are environmentally sustainable;
4. Strengthen institutions for cooperation among the eight Arctic nations (the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, and Sweden);
5. Involve the Arctic's indigenous communities in decisions that affect them; and
6. Enhance scientific monitoring and research into local, regional, and global environmental issues.

National Security and Homeland Security Interests in the Arctic

1. The United States has broad and fundamental national security interests in the Arctic region and is prepared to operate either independently or in conjunction with other states to safeguard these interests. These interests include such matters as missile defense and early warning; deployment of sea and air systems for strategic sealift, strategic deterrence, maritime presence, and maritime security operations; and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight.
2. The United States also has fundamental homeland security interests in preventing terrorist attacks and mitigating those criminal or hostile acts that could increase the United States vulnerability to terrorism in the Arctic region.
3. The Arctic region is primarily a maritime domain; as such, existing policies and authorities relating to maritime areas continue to apply, including those relating to law enforcement.1 Human activity in the Arctic region is increasing and is projected to increase further in coming years. This requires the United States to assert a more active and influential national presence to protect its Arctic interests and to project sea power throughout the region.
4. The United States exercises authority in accordance with lawful claims of United States sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the Arctic region, including sovereignty within the territorial sea, sovereign rights and jurisdiction within the United States exclusive economic zone and on the continental shelf, and appropriate control in the United States contiguous zone.
5. Freedom of the seas is a top national priority. The Northwest Passage is a strait used for international navigation, and the Northern Sea Route includes straits used for international navigation; the regime of transit passage applies to passage through those straits. Preserving the rights and duties relating to navigation and overflight in the Arctic region supports our ability to exercise these rights throughout the world, including through strategic straits.
6. Implementation: In carrying out this policy as it relates to national security and homeland security interests in the Arctic, the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

1. Develop greater capabilities and capacity, as necessary, to protect United States air, land, and sea borders in the Arctic region;
2. Increase Arctic maritime domain awareness in order to protect maritime commerce, critical infrastructure, and key resources;
3. Preserve the global mobility of United States military and civilian vessels and aircraft throughout the Arctic region;
4. Project a sovereign United States maritime presence in the Arctic in support of essential United States interests; and
5. Encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes in the Arctic region.

Lots More: http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/laws/gc_1267821646976.shtm

Psychoblues

[red states rule]

"Homeland security" AND "environmental justice"
..Jeez Louise

[revelarts]

Ohhhhhhhh. OK. Now I see why the original poster didn't want to link back. Some people actually take that garbage seriously. I think it would only be fair to point out that cnsnews openly claims to express rightwing ideology and opinions. But on the premise of the article, I have no problem whatsoever with the DHS making plans for environmental issues, catastrophes and how they relate to our national security. To not do so would be negligent, don't you think?

Thanks for the link, Kath. You're a real peach!!!!!!!!

Psychoblues

PschoBlues Sorry , I thought I had posted the link and I missed your reply all together. haven't been checking all the post on the board I've missed quite a few.

Thanks Kathianne

I'll be back...

[Thunderknuckles]

A little off topic but I wanted to express my appreciation for Climate Change. It's a good thing at least for California. Heard a news report on the way home regarding the "extreme" weather have been having out west lately. It appears that this has been the wetest rainy season we have had on record since the 1800s. Which is fantastic considering we were experiencing a drought for the last 3 years causing water rates to go up. The folks looking after our water tables are cautiously optomistic that all the water lossed during 3 years of drought will be returned during this single season.

Keep driving those SUVs folks