Security Committee - Charter

I. PREAMBLE

The protection of life, health, and property arising from the consequences of attacks against dams is of common interest to federal, state, and local governments and the private sector. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is committed to providing guidance and assistance to licensees/exemptees in the formulation of their security and vulnerability assessments at jurisdictional dams. The FERC issued the FERC Security Program for Hydropower Projects (Security Program) on July 27, 2002 (revised October 30, 2002). It is recognized that the Security Program is designed to be flexible and that it will be modified as lessons are learned and improvements are identified.

II. PURPOSE

The FERC Hydro Security Committee (Committee) will provide guidance and suggestions to the FERC for the purpose of improving and updating the Hydro Security Program. Specific goals identified during the initiation of the Committee are:

• Discuss among Committee members the perceived lack of standard methodologies available to reasonably evaluate threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences of attack against dams, and if possible provide comments or suggestions to the hydro industry.
• Review and comment on the proposed format for licensee/exemptee submittals documenting results of security studies.
• Recommend procedures for (security) information sharing within the hydro industry and other dam owners.
• Share innovative and improved security technologies and methodologies with other Committee members for the potential benefit of other FERC-jurisdictional hydropower licensees/exemptees.

III. ORGANIZATION

A. MEMBERSHIP

The Committee will be composed of FERC staff and volunteers from FERC-jurisdictional hydropower licensees/exemptees. FERC staff representation is composed of a member from each FERC Regional Office (Deputy Regional Engineer) and select FERC Headquarters staff. A representative cross section of FERC-jurisdictional hydropower licensees/exemptees was identified by the FERC and these organizations were invited to participate in the Committee. Committee members shall serve for an indefinite period of time, as determined by parent organizations.

B. CHAIR

The hydropower security coordinator from the FERC HQ Office will chair the Committee.

C. MEETINGS

The Committee shall meet at the call of the Chair but at least once each fiscal year. After the first year, members will meet on a periodic (as-needed) basis supplemented by periodic conference calls and Email discussions. Member presence at meetings is not required, but is strongly encouraged. If a member cannot attend a scheduled meeting, concerns and comments from that member should be forwarded to the Chair for inclusion. Whenever feasible, Committee business shall be handled via teleconference. Meeting locations will vary throughout the U.S. to accommodate regional considerations, and when possible will be scheduled during major dam safety/security conferences. At the discretion of the Chair, non-members may attend and participate in meetings.

D. REPORTS

Minutes from each Committee meeting/conference call will be compiled by the Chair and furnished to Committee members. Periodically, Committee members shall be asked to review technical reports and provide comments to the Chair.

Adopted by the FERC Security Committee (date).