(Tom Ridge resigned as DHS head -- this is a decent review of his success in that role thus far. -rf)
December 1, 2004 Under Ridge, Color Alerts and Mixed Security Reviews By ERIC LICHTBLAU and CHRISTOPHER DREW http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/01/politics/01home.html?oref=login&pagewanted =print&position= WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 - As the man who oversaw the creation of the largest federal agency in a half-century, Tom Ridge exits the Department of Homeland Security with a record of progress in plugging some gaping holes in areas like aviation security and biodefense. But he also leaves his successor with daunting challenges in other areas that critics say the department has largely ignored. Many experts believe the nation's chemical and nuclear plants, ports and even parts of the fortified aviation sector remain vulnerable to attack. And a number of internal and outside audits have questioned whether the mammoth operation that Mr. Ridge designed has the controls in place to do the job. His successor will also face growing tensions about whether taxpayers or private interests should pay the lion's share of the often-staggering costs of securing the country - an issue that bedeviled Mr. Ridge during his tenure. "There's a shared fiscal responsibility," Mr. Ridge said in a recent interview, echoing a plea that he has made to many industry groups. "And that means we can't look to secure all these facilities out of the federal taxpayer's pocket." Mr. Ridge was best known as the public face for the nation's color-coded terror alerts, warning for months that another terrorist attack was likely. The government raised the alert to "high," or orange, status six times on his watch, even as homeland security officials sometimes squabbled with the Justice Department about what they felt were overly dire warnings from Attorney General John Ashcroft. His role in issuing the warnings raised the profile of Mr. Ridge - a confidant of President Bush and former Pennsylvania governor - but it also brought skepticism and ridicule at times. When his department suggested in 2003 that Americans buy emergency items like duct tape to guard against chemical attacks, Mr. Ridge became fodder for late-night comedians and was roasted at Washington's annual Gridiron dinner by a performer who wrapped himself in plastic before an audience that included Mr. Bush. Mr. Ridge "seemed more interested in grabbing headlines than in developing, implementing and communicating to the American public an effective policy for preventing terrorist acts at home," said Alon Ben-Meir, a professor of terrorism studies at New York University and Middle East director for the World Policy Institute at the New School. But behind the criticism and jokes lay widespread recognition that Mr. Ridge had one of the most difficult jobs in Washington - trying to assemble 22 separate agencies into one - and potentially the most unforgiving one. Republicans and Democrats alike have praised his diligence and calm leadership. Mr. Ridge "had the difficult task of overseeing the largest government reorganization since World War II," Representative Jim Turner of Texas, the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said Tuesday, "and his efforts will have a lasting and positive impact on the security of our nation." Yet concerns remain among Congressional leaders and security experts that the 180,000-employee agency is still too fragmented and has struggled to become a clearinghouse for terrorism intelligence. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the government has poured tens of billions of dollars into domestic security. Besides installing thousands of explosive-detection machines in airports, much of the federal spending has gone for building defenses against bioterrorism, expanding border patrols and upgrading local emergency response teams. In running the department, Mr. Ridge also strongly espoused Mr. Bush's view that the best way to protect the nation was to root out terrorists overseas. The department was created last year with high hopes for producing quicker and clearer assessments of the latest terrorism threats, but its investigators and analysts have been dogged by turf battles with counterparts at agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Even some Republicans in Congress fear that with the reorganization of the intelligence community, the department could end up mainly disseminating intelligence to state and local officials rather than being a major analysis center. The department's agencies include immigration and the Coast Guard, and it also is intended to secure the nation's critical infrastructure from attack. Mr. Ridge often pointed out that the department has no authority to order businesses to do anything. And in recent months, he increasingly urged private industry to cover more of the security costs. But critics say the government has been inconsistent - and even unfair - in requiring large-scale security upgrades at seaports, while refusing to put similar mandates on the powerful oil and chemical industries. Some say that resolving this debate will be one of the most urgent tasks facing Mr. Ridge's successor. "Our adversaries have figured out, at least in the form of Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, that by going after those critical infrastructures that underpin our way of life, they in fact can chip away at our power," said Stephen Flynn, who has been the project director for a bipartisan task force on domestic security. "It's our weakness." Only 5 percent of the 9 million cargo containers that pass through the nation's ports each year are physically inspected. Mr. Ridge has acknowledged that the threat of a nuclear "dirty bomb" inside a container could shut down ports and disrupt the global economy. The Coast Guard estimates that a 2002 law requiring security improvements will cost $7.4 billion in the next 10 years, but the government has offered only $565 million in grants to ports and maritime companies. "I don't know of a single nonprofit that uses one of these facilities," Mr. Ridge said recently. Anthony R. Coscia, the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, countered, "I think it's unrealistic to say we could do it without federal help." Counterterrorism officials also warn that terrorists could kill tens of thousands of people by blowing up a chemical plant and releasing toxic gas. When he was still at the White House, Mr. Ridge joined with the Environmental Protection Agency in considering new safety rules in 2002. But after the oil and chemical industries met with Karl Rove, the president's political adviser, and other senior aides, the White House quietly blocked those efforts, current and former officials say. Since then, Mr. Ridge and his aides have worked with the chemical industry to improve security through voluntary measures. Administration officials say this produced improvements more quickly than if they had battled in Congress or the courts about new regulations. But critics say that without strict oversight, many of the nation's 15,000 chemical, oil refineries and sewage treatment plants are not doing as much as they can to seal out terrorists. "I find it inconceivable that we're not checking on a regular basis what actions these plants are taking on security," said Senator Jon Corzine, a Democrat from New Jersey who plans to push for legislation once Congress reconvenes in January. Mr. Ridge said recently that the department's most striking advances have been made in air security, making it much more difficult for terrorists "to turn an airplane into a missile." It also is spending billions of dollars to enhance bioterror defenses. He and others say there are still areas of vulnerability, including potential targets like trains, private aircraft and trucks that haul hazardous materials. Airport officials also are pushing for more federal help. They want to replace baggage screening machines with more efficient systems, at a total cost of $5 billion, said Todd Hauptli, a lobbyist for the American Association of Airports Executives. Others, like Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, want to require airlines to screen all cargo carried on passenger planes, only a tiny fraction of which is now tested for explosives. Mr. Markey's bill failed this year amid pressure from the White House and the struggling airline industry, which argued it would be too costly because most screening machines cannot handle the bulky packages. Mr. Markey said in a statement on Tuesday that Mr. Ridge had "an extremely tough job." Ticking off the concerns over air cargo, ports and chemical plants, he added that "much remains to be done." You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
