DOE, DHS officials discuss cybersecurity and oil, natural gas infrastructure
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently co-chaired the last meeting of 2018 for the Oil and Natural Gas Subsector Coordinating Council (ONG SCC) and the Energy Government Coordinating Council (EGCC) at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The meeting focused on advancing joint initiatives to enhance the security and resilience of U.S. oil and natural gas infrastructure.
Undersecretary of Energy Mark Menezes, Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) Karen Evans and Assistant Secretary for Electricity Bruce Walker participated in the meeting.
The meeting covered the National Cybersecurity Strategy, government and industry priorities, cybersecurity and information sharing, incident response and strategic actions. Menezes highlighted Assistant Secretary Evans’ new role as the DOE lead with DHS for joint EGCC-ONG SCC activities.
“DOE works very closely with our interagency partners and industry when it comes to preparing for and responding to cyber threats,” Menezes said. “Assistant Secretary Evans will ensure close collaboration and communication in the government- and industry-wide efforts to address these challenges.”
Meeting participants also discussed the response to the impacts of Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas. They emphasized the importance of government-industry coordination and highlighted efforts such as the Pipeline Security Initiative and public and private sector partner investments, which help ensure infrastructure safety and reliability.
“Boosting public and private investments to improve the country’s critical energy infrastructure and technology is paramount to ensuring a reliable and resilient electric grid,” Walker said. “Since DOE is the SSA for the energy sector, we are prioritizing work with our federal partners, the oil and gas industry, and the electric industry to incentivize these crucial and necessary investments.”
