Mitch Landrieu: “As we consider the issue of national security in the weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, one sector in…”

“As we consider the issue of national security in the weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, one sector in particular that deserves our undivided attention is the security of our national energy infrastructure. The vulnerability of our country's energy infrastructure became more clear last week when an individual was able to cause about 150,000 gallons of oil to spill from the 800 mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline with a bullet from a high powered rifle. I believe the events of September 11 have proven that Congress has a responsibility to make sure our Nation's energy infrastructure is adequately protected from both hostile and natural attacks. We are now engaged in an operation to combat terrorism which will take considerable time and resources. Some of the emergency measures put in place at energy facilities throughout the country in response to the September 11 attacks can only be maintained for so long. For example, off the coast of my State of Louisiana the Nation's largest port for offloading crude oil was being patrolled by a military vessel. While a kind of safety zone around such areas makes sense, should we expend our military's resources in order to do so? Merely using our present available resources to operate at such high levels of alert for the duration of what all indications are will be a long term effort does not seem realistic.”