Environmental Security in the US

            National security and the environment are two things that have certainly become intertwined in the last two decades.  And it certainly is something that governments should be concerned with in light of all the upcoming environmental changes as a result of global climate change.  Although some areas of the world will remain somewhat unaffected because of affluence, geographic location, preparation, etc., most will not be and will be facing drastic changes to the world around them in the years to come.

            One such way in which the United States’ government is preparing for possible attacks on one of its much precious resources, water, is by installing a water monitoring system in cities.  The Water Security (WS) initiative is an EPA program.  It was established to address the risk of intentional contamination to public drinking water systems.  EPA’s website states that this initiative was created in response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, in which the EPA must “develop robust, comprehensive, and fully coordinated surveillance and monitoring systems, including international information, for… water quality that provides early detection and awareness of disease, pest, or poisonous agents.”

            This initiative was to be implemented in three phases.  The first phase being to develop the conceptual design of a system to promptly detect and issue an appropriate response to drinking water contamination which could have public health and economic impacts.  The first contamination warning system pilot was installed in the Greater Cincinnati Water Works systems.  Installation of the system was completed in 2007.  In 2008, contamination warning systems were also installed in San Francisco and New York City, with expected funding for two more pilot cities later that year.  The second phase was to continue testing and demonstrating the usefulness of the detection systems in place in Cincinnati, New York, and San Francisco.  And the third phase being to develop guidance and outreaches to promote voluntary national adoption of this effective and sustainable drinking water contamination warming system. 

            President Obama also has plans to help America become more energy independent and be cleaner at the same time.  With energy dependence on foreign nations, you never when that country could decide to stop exporting their fossil fuels for whatever reason.  Obama wants Congress to establish a new Energy Security Trues, which would invest in breakthrough research that will make new technologies cleaner and cheaper.  Technologies that will aid in times of gas price spikes or whatever other fuel price happens to skyrocket at the drop of a hat.  The President hopes to set aside 10 billion dollars over the next two years for such research.  And seeing as this was only released on March 15, only time will tell if this actually happens or not.

Works Cited:

“FACT SHEET: President Obama’s Blueprint for a Clean and Secure Energy Future,” Office of the Press Secretary of the White House, accessed 4/4/2013. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/15/fact-sheet-president-obama-s-blueprint-clean-and-secure-energy-future).

“Water Security Initiative”, United States Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 4/4/2013, (http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/lawsregs/initiative.cfm).