Homeland SecurityDaily Open Source Infrastructure
Report 23 November 2011
Top Stories• A former auditor for Provident Capital Indemnity Ltd. (PCI) pleaded guilty to assisting a
$670 million fraud conspiracy that impacted life settlement investment companies in
several countries, including the United States. – Bloomberg (See item 16)
• The U.S. Air Force said it is investigating how an airman who instigated a 10-hour standoff
managed to get his own handgun onto a base in Colorado that controls more than 60
military satellites. – Associated Press (See item 32)
Energy SectorCurrent Electricity Sector Threat Alert Levels:
Physical: LOW, Cyber: LOW
Scale: LOW, GUARDED, ELEVATED, HIGH, SEVERE
Source: ISAC for the Electricity Sector (ES-ISAC)
[
http://www.esisac.com ]
1. November 22, Bloomberg – (Mississippi) El Paso says Tennessee Gas Pipeline had
explosion. El Paso Corporation isolated part of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline in Panola
County, Mississippi, after a release of fuel and fire November 21. Personnel were
responding to the leak near Batesville, a spokesman said. The company was first aware
of the incident after a compressor-station operator observed a pressure change on the
system at 8:30 p.m. There were no known effects on customers. Twenty homes near the
incident were evacuated, he said. The Tennessee system consists of about 14,000 miles
of pipeline stretching from the Mexican border to Canada, El Paso said on its Web site.
It is supplied with gas from the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Appalachia, and Canada and
serves markets across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions, including metropolitan
areas such as Chicago, New York, and Boston.
Source:
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/11/22/el-p ... explosion/2. November 22, Daily Environmental Report – (National) EPA proposes operator
training, stronger containment regulations for storage tanks. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to strengthen regulations governing
underground storage tanks (USTs), adding new rules for backup containment and
extending training requirements to more storage tank owners and operators. State
agencies that accept federal grant money are required under current regulations to set
operator training requirements under the Energy Policy Act, but the requirements do
not cover underground tanks on tribal lands and in states that do not accept federal
funds. The proposed revisions would implement training requirements nationwide. The
proposed regulations would apply to tanks that hold petroleum or hazardous chemicals,
which are regulated under Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA). They would not affect USTs containing hazardous waste, which are regulated
under RCRA Subtitle C. The EPA published the proposed rule November 18. It expects
to issue a final rule in 2013. There are about 595,000 active USTs at an estimated
214,000 sites in the United States, according to the EPA. The agency estimates the
compliance costs of the proposed rule would amount to $210 million annually, but said
the proposal would lead to $300 million to $770 million in avoided remediation costs.
Motor fuel retailers, which account for about 80 percent of UST systems, are expected
to bear a majority of the cost.
Source:
http://www.bna.com/epa-proposes-operator-n12884904444/3. November 21, WAFB 9 Baton Rouge – (Louisiana) Vandals target Beauregard oil
well, cause spill. Beauregard Parish, Louisiana sheriff’s officials responded November
20 to a vandalism call from an oil-well site off Highway 389 near DeQuincy. The caller
said someone vandalized the oil site, creating a major spill. Sources said 220 barrels
were spilled. Environmental issues are not expected since sites like these are normally
encircled by a berm. Hazmat teams were called out to clean up the mess.
Source:
http://www.wafb.com/story/16094506/vand ... ause-spill4. November 21, WVEC 13 Hampton Roads – (Virginia) Fuel tank fires could spell
catastrophe for Chesapeake. Chesapeake, Virginia firefighters said they do not have
the necessary equipment and training to properly fight a fuel tank fire. In an application
for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters
Grant, Chesapeake Fire Department stated “we have determined a worst case scenario
that places our community and firefighters at great risk. Currently, neither the
Chesapeake Fire Department nor the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area has the
equipment or training needed to mitigate a potential catastrophic incident such as a tank
fire.” There are 12 fuel farms along the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake. Firefighters
said a fuel tank at the Hess Terminal is the most hazardous in the city. A Hess
spokeswoman said the company believes it is prepared to handle a tank fire. “At our
Chesapeake Terminal, we maintain fire-fighting capabilities to be prepared to handle
the largest potential tank fire at the facility.” However, if that equipment failed, city
equipment may not be enough to contain the fire. Nearby fire hydrants provide a flow
of water at 1,500 gallons per minute. Firefighters say a flow of 7,000 gallons per
minute is necessary to contain a tank fire because of the highly flammable nature of the
mixture of fuels.
Source:
http://www.wvec.com/my-city/chesapeake/ ... 85273.html5. November 21, Associated Press – (International) Brazil fines Chevron in $28 million
for oil spill. Brazil’s environmental agency said November 21 it will fine Chevron
nearly $28 million for a continuing oil spill off the Rio de Janeiro coast, and the
company could face several more similar fines in coming days. The agency said
through its press office it will fine the oil company the maximum 50 million reals
allowed under current Brazilian law. The environment minister said that as an
investigation into the leak continues, California-based Chevron could face “five or six”
other fines of the same amount if more infractions are found. Officials said Chevron hid
information about the extent of the spill from the Brazilian government, took far too
long to begin clean-up operations, and did not have the proper equipment to contain the
leak. The National Petroleum Agency said more than 110,000 gallons of crude oil may
have reached the ocean floor since the leak began November 7. Chevron was drilling an
appraisal well about 230 miles off the northeastern coast of Rio de Janeiro when the
leak started as crude rushed upward and eventually escaped into the surrounding
seabed. The oil has leaked through at least seven narrow fissures, all within 160 feet of
the well head on the ocean floor.
Source:
http://www.newsday.com/news/brazil-fine ... -1.3337372Chemical Industry Sector6. November 22, The Daily Greensburgh – (New York) Ardsley Building evacuated
after chemical spill. ICL Industrial Products of America evacuated employees from its
building in Ardsley, New York, November 21 after a chemical spill, the Greenburgh
Police Department said. The incident prompted responses from the Hastings Fire
Department, the Town of Greenburgh Technical Rescue Team, Greenburgh police, and
ambulances. A lieutenant said the Westchester County Hazmat Team neutralized the
spill. According to its Web site, ICL is a leading manufacturer of phosphorus-based
flame retardants, clear brines for oil and gas exploration, magnesia and chlorine-based
salts, fertilizer, and specialty chemicals. Crews blocked off the upper parking lot of 410
Saw Mill River Road for about 2 hours after the 1:30 p.m. spill. The lieutenant said the
chemical had “corrosive elements” and was spilled on the third floor in an isolated area
with technicians. About 15 employees evacuated.
Source:
http://www.thedailygreenburgh.com/news/ ... ical-spill7. November 22, WDAF 4 Kansas City – (Missouri) Tanker truck crash closes Front
Street for a time. A tanker truck crashed on the northeast side of Kansas City,
Missouri November 22, closing Front Street for a time as crews worked to prevent a
chemical spill. According to authorities, the truck — carrying a load of isopropyl
(rubbing) alcohol –- overturned on Front Street near River Front Road around 3:30
a.m., closing Front Street for an hour and 45 minutes. Police said that no alcohol
spilled.
Source:
http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/22/tanker-tru ... -for-time/8. November 21, Associated Press – (Tennessee) Gallatin metal powders plant gets
$80K fine from state after May explosion kills 3 workers. An investigation into a
May explosion and fire that killed three workers at a Gallatin, Tennessee metal
powders factory found a hydrogen gas leak came from a pipe not normally meant to be
pressurized. The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)
issued an $80,000 fine to Hoeganaes Corp. for 23 serious violations. The plant was
fined $49,200 a week before the May 27 accident for violations related to flash fires in
January and March that killed two workers and injured a third. According to the report
released November 21, workers heard a gas leak and called maintenance. The pipes
were in a trough under metal floor plates. Workers attached chains and raised the plate
with a forklift. A worker told investigators the cover broke loose leading to sparks, an
explosion, and fire. Two employees who had just entered the building ran out when
they saw a fireball headed their way. They then saw a dust cloud. A federal
investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board found the explosion knocked loose
iron dust that had accumulated. That dust ignited, creating a flash fire. The board
blamed the accidents in January and March on the accumulation of combustible metal
dust. TOSHA investigators found the trough below the floor contained pipes supplying
hydrogen and nitrogen, and a vent pipe routed through the roof and into the
atmosphere. “The vent pipe was not intended to carry any pressure, except during
purging of the furnaces,” the report states. “The most likely reason that the pipe was
pressurized was that venting valves were mistakenly opened to purge a furnace and
never closed.” The vent pipe also was “in a severely corroded condition.” The report
faults the company for failing to evaluate and plan for the dangers posed by the
hydrogen supply, and not inspecting or maintaining the gas pipes, which were located
where they were exposed to water. It also faults Hoeganaes for failing to follow its own
emergency action plan after the explosion. The report instead describes a chaotic scene
in which no one was clearly in charge and employees took it upon themselves to fight
the fire and rescue colleagues. The company has until December 23 to correct the
violations.
Source:
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e ... lant-Fire/9. November 21, Longview News-Journal – (Texas) Crews cleaning up leak from
railcar spill near Hallsville. Longview, Texas, Fire Department hazardous materials
crews joined Harrison County first responders in containing a railcar spill about 3 miles
east of Hallsville November 20. The Longview fire marshal said a railcar was leaking
phosphoric acid. Crews led by the Hallsville Police Department made entry to stop the
leak at about 4:30 p.m. Harrison County sheriff’s officers cordoned off nearby roads,
and temporarily closed Harrison CR 3102, also known as Muntz Road. The fire
marshal said there was no danger or immediate threat to neighbors from the spill. He
said haz-mat crews mitigated the leak by 5:50 p.m. at which time Union Pacific
railroad crews were cleaning the spill and working to reopen the rail spur.
Source:
http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/ ... svEgVZXI5YFor more stories, see items 1, 2, 13, 29, and 38
Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste Sector10. November 22, Connecticut Day – (Connecticut) Millstone investigates reactor restart
failure. Dominion, the owner of Millstone Power Station in Waterford, Connecticut,
spent November 21 analyzing what went wrong November 20 that kept operators from
restarting the Unit 3 reactor, which had been shut down for refueling. Operators halted
the startup after an auxiliary steam boiler shut off unexpectedly, causing a loss of
vacuum conditions used to run a condenser, according to a Dominion spokesman, and a
spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The reactor had been shut down
for several weeks, not only to replenish fuel in the reactor, but also to repair other
equipment problems revealed during outage maintenance reviews. The company is
continuing to isolate the cause of the problem while preparing to restart.
Source:
http://www.theday.com/article/20111122/ ... 1019&town=11. November 21, St. Paul Pioneer-Press – (Minnesota) Xcel finds reason for shutdown
of Monticello nuclear plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said
November 21 its on-site inspectors at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant in
Monticello, Minnesota, were monitoring an unplanned shutdown of the plant over the
weekend of November 19 and 20. The plant shut down automatically November 19
when safety systems detected low oil pressure in its turbines, according to Xcel Energy.
Xcel officials said the outage is not expected to be lengthy but declined to specify how
long. The NRC also is trying to locate a part missing from a device used to monitor the
level of nuclear reaction inside the reactor, according to an NRC spokesperson. The
monitor, which is highly radioactive, was taken out of service for replacement. It
typically is stored in the spent fuel reactor pool for safekeeping until it can be shipped
to a disposal site. There is no indication the missing part is outside of the pool — it
simply could not be found in its designated location, so workers will search the entire
pool.
Source:
http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_19383739For another story, see item 15
Critical Manufacturing Sector12. November 21, WXIX 19 Cincinnati – (Ohio) Two-alarm fire at GE plant in Evendale
collapses building. An explosion November 21 at a GE Aviation plant in Evendale,
Ohio, caused thousands of dollars in damage to one of the plant’s north buildings.
Officials said employees heard a loud boom and saw the roof of the building fully
engulfed in flames. Fire officials said the steel structure building, surrounded by
concrete is used to test component engines. The building is still structurally sound,
however it sustained some damage from the explosion.
Source:
http://www.fox19.com/story/16095037/two ... -collapsed13. November 21, Hartford Courant – (Connecticut) Kaman employees return to work
after leak forces evacuation. About 100 Kaman Corp. workers were evacuated
November 21 after a refrigerant leaked from a freezer in the company’s Bloomfield,
Connecticut plant, a company spokesman said. An employee in a freezer used to store
materials used to manufacture helicopter rotor blades reported shortness of breath and
called over three other employees, who noticed they too were short of breath. Medics
checked the four employees and determined they were unharmed. There are no
hazardous materials stored in the freezer, the substance that bothered the workers
turned out to be a refrigerant.
Source:
http://www.courant.com/community/bloomf ... 9062.story14. November 21, U.S. Department of Labor – (New York) U.S. Labor Department’s
OSHA cites Remington Arms Co. for 35 serious safety and health violations at
Ilion, NY, plant. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) November 21 cited Remington Arms Co. Inc. for 35 alleged
serious violations of workplace safety and health standards at its Ilion, New York,
manufacturing plant. The firearms manufacturer faces a total of $170,000 in proposed
penalties for a variety of mechanical, electrical, and chemical hazards identified during
inspections by OSHA’s Syracuse Area Office. The violations included a lack of
personal protective equipment, accumulations of toxic substances on surfaces in the
plant, unguarded moving machine parts, and improper storage and transfer of
flammable liquids.
Source:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp ... p_id=21336For another story, see item 8
Defense Industrial Base SectorSee item 12
Banking and Finance Sector15. November 21, U.S. Department of Treasury – (International) Fact sheet: new
sanctions on Iran. The United States November 21 announced a series of actions to
confront the threat posed by Iran and significantly increase pressure on Iran to comply
with the full range of its international obligations and to address the international
community’s longstanding concerns regarding its nuclear program. These steps
included: expanding sanctions to target the supply of goods, services, technology, or
support (above certain monetary thresholds) to Iran for the development of its
petroleum resources and maintenance or expansion of its petrochemical industry;
designating 11 individuals and entities under Executive Order 13382 for their role in
Iran’s WMD program; and identifying the Islamic Republic of Iran as a jurisdiction of
“primary money laundering concern” under section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act.
These actions underscore the Administration’s continued strong commitment –-
particularly in light of the International Atomic Energy Agency director general’s most
recent report –- to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its refusal to comply with
international obligations regarding its nuclear program.
Source:
http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/pr ... g1367.aspx16. November 21, Bloomberg – (International) New Jersey accountant pleads guilty in
$670 million fraud. A former auditor for Provident Capital Indemnity Ltd. (PCI)
admitted to assisting a $670 million fraud conspiracy in the life settlement bonding
market, federal prosecutors in Virginia said November 21. The auditor pleaded guilty
to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, a U.S. attorney said. The
charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and prosecutors are also
seeking as much as $40 million in forfeiture, the attorney said. The United States
claims the Costa Rica-based company misrepresented its ability to satisfy obligations
under its bonds, according to a related civil complaint the Securities and Exchange
Commission filed against the company in Richmond, Virginia. From 2004 to 2010, PCI
sold about $670 million of bonds to life settlement investment companies in several
countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands,
prosecutors said. The auditor admitted to conspiring with PCI’s president to prepare
financial statements that falsely claimed PCI had contracts with other reinsurance
companies. He admitted he never audited PCI’s financial statements, and that he knew
the company never entered into any contracts with other reinsurance companies,
prosecutors said. He was paid about $84,000 by PCI from 2004 through 2010,
prosecutors said. PCI’s president, a citizen of Costa Rica, and PCI have been criminally
charged with conspiracy, and mail and wire fraud charges.
Source:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-1 ... fraud.html17. November 21, KTLA 5 Los Angeles – (California) ‘Black and Blue Bandit’ sought in
San Gabriel Valley bank heists. Police in California are searching for man connected
to several recent bank robberies throughout the San Gabriel Valley, KTLA 5 Los
Angeles reported November 21. According to officials, the suspect is being called the
“Black and Blue Bandit” because he wears arm slings, braces, and bandages during the
crimes. His most recent robbery was reported shortly after 5 p.m. November 16 at a
Chase bank on the 13100 block of E. Philadelphia Street in Uptown Whittier. Police
said the suspect, wearing a bandage on his cheek, passed a note to a teller and
demanded money. When the teller did not comply, he fled on foot. He is believed to be
connected to crimes as far back as October in Whittier, Montebello, and Downey.
Officials said the bandit was also linked to a robbery at a Chase bank in the 800 block
of Beverly Boulevard November 12. In that robbery, he told the teller he had a weapon
and demanded $4,000. The teller then went to a back room and sounded an alarm. The
suspect, wearing medical scrubs, an arm sling, and a baseball cap, then left the bank
without any money.
Source:
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-b ... 0052.story18. November 21, Seattle Times – (Washington) Ex-bank execs sued by FDIC over
loans. Federal regulators sued two former executives and the board of Washington’s
failed Westsound Bank for at least $15 million, the Seattle Times reported November
21. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which assumed most of the
real-estate loans of Bremerton-based Westsound when it failed in May 2009, seeks to
recover losses on seven loans to insiders, 7 risky land-development loans, and 21
allegedly fraudulent ones to Russian and Ukranian borrowers. In its lawsuit, filed
November 18, the FDIC estimated Westsound’s failure will cost the deposit insurance
fund $106.4 million. The lawsuit names Westsound’s former chief executive officer;
former executive vice president of sales and lending; and former board chairman, and
eight other former board members. The FDIC suit said the defendants repeatedly
ignored warnings from state and federal regulators about the bank’s lending practices,
and neglected to supervise a Federal Way loan officer who allegedly originated the 21
fraudulent loans. According to the regulators’ suit, the loan officer colluded from 2005
to 2007 with a homebuilder, borrowers and appraisers to gain approval for 142
fraudulent home-construction loans totaling $96 million. The FDIC filed a separate
claim in June against the loan officer, seeking to ban her from future involvement with
any federally insured depository. In that claim, the FDIC said the construction loans to
“unqualified Russian immigrant borrowers” accounted for 83 percent of troubled loans
found in an October 2007 examination of the bank by regulators. The 21 fraudulent
loans listed in the lawsuit against Westsound Bank directors total more than $29.5
million. The FDIC estimates its losses on these loans at more than $10 million. All 21
loans should have been reviewed by a board-level loan committee, the suit said.
Instead, they were “approved through a largely automated process,” the FDIC alleges.
It said the bank made “numerous” favorable insider loans. It cites seven such loans
totaling more than $3.1 million, which resulted in losses to the FDIC of at least $1.7
million.
Source:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/b ... und22.html19. November 21, Associated Press – (National) Criminal probe into online mortgage
scams widens. A criminal investigation into mortgage swindlers expanded beyond
deceptive advertising on Google’s Internet search engine to root out con artists who
were luring their victims on Bing and Yahoo, the Associated Press reported November
21. News of the widening probe confirmed the Internet’s three largest search engines
were turned into tools of prey for crooks looking to bilk homeowners scrambling to
avoid foreclosure. The scams involved online ads making bogus promises to help
people hold onto their homes under a government-backed program to modify mortgage
payments. After finding their victims using ads triggered by phrases such as “stop
foreclosure,” the swindlers extracted upfront fees or arranged to have the mortgage
payments sent to them without providing any help. The crackdown shuttered 125
mortgage scams by November 21, up from 85 the week of November 14, when the
Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program
announced it was cleaning up misconduct on Google. The U.S. Treasury Department
division said many con artists bought ads on all three search engines. Like Google,
Microsoft’s Bing search engine agreed to stop accepting ads from hundreds of Internet
advertisers and agencies tied to the scams. The ban also applies to Yahoo, because it
depends on Microsoft to sell its search advertising as part of a revenue-sharing
partnership.
Source:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... 59473800bf20. November 21, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – (Pennsylvania) New Brighton man pleads
guilty to mortgage fraud. A New Brighton, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty
November 21 to federal charges connected to a fraud in which he and others obtained
tens of millions of dollars in loans by selling properties to each other at elevated prices.
The man orchestrated the scheme through his mortgage broker business, Beaver
Financial Services, prosecutors said. A majority of the loans were for commercial
properties the man controlled and that he sold to another company he also controlled,
according to prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail, wire, and
bank fraud, and conspiring to launder money. The money laundering charge is based on
the man using accounts in other people’s names and corporations that exist only on
paper to hide the money obtained in the mortgage fraud, prosecutors said.
Source:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... kHeadlines21. November 21, Naples Daily News – (Florida) Three men arrested after deputies find
$1 million in bogus credit cards. A traffic stop on Interstate 75 in Florida November
20 ended with Lee County Sheriff’s deputies arresting 3 men and confiscating 123
cloned credit cards with an approximate value of $1 million if used as intended. It was
the largest single seizure of cloned credit cards by the agency. Detectives with the the
economic crimes unit said the bogus cards contained credit information of skimmed
card accounts belonging to victims of identity theft. The three suspects were each
charged with possession of cloned credit cards, and trafficking in cloned credit cards.
Source:
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/nov ... million-b/22. November 18, XXXXXXX XXXX and Bloomberg – (District of Columbia; Maryland;
Virginia) Millions lost in local Ponzi scheme. A man ran a Ponzi scheme that cheated
investors in the Washington, D.C. area, including charities, out of millions of dollars,
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said November 18. The broker told
investors they could earn annual returns of about 20 percent with little or no risk, and
he showed one prospective client, a Baptist church, a fake letter of recommendation
from the Charles Schwab brokerage firm, the SEC alleged. He was actually losing
money on risky options trades, and using funds invested by some clients to make
interest payments to others, the SEC charged in a civil lawsuit. The scheme collapsed
in 2010. From 2005 to 2010, investors put in more than $27 million, the SEC said. The
lawsuit did not say how much they lost overall. The defendant, a former employee of
mortgage giant Fannie Mae, diverted $5 million of clients’ funds for personal gain, the
SEC said. He also made hundreds of thousands of dollars of unwarranted payments to
family and friends. The SEC also sued the man’s businesses, Gibraltar Asset
Management Group and Garfield Taylor Inc., and five collaborators. The Hillcrest
Children’s Center, a Washington charity for impoverished single mothers and their
children, sued the broker in January, alleging he and other defendants had lost or
misappropriated almost all of the $8 million the center entrusted to them. The broker’s
more than 130 investors included many middle-class people spread across local
communities such as Lanham, Germantown, Upper Marlboro, and Alexandria, the SEC
said. In 2010, the broker’s businesses lost almost $300,000 on its trading while paying
out $1.4 million to investors. Though it was selling securities, Gibraltar never
registered with the SEC, and did not give clients audited financial statements, the SEC
said.
Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... story.htmlFor another story, see item 30
Transportation Sector23. November 22, WSVN 7 Fort Lauderdale – (Florida) Elderly driver crashes through
fence at MIA. Police are investigating a security breach at Miami International Airport
(MIA). According to authorities, a man in his late 70s was seen driving erratically near
25th Street and 72nd Avenue, when he crashed through a fence at MIA at around 8:20
p.m., November 21. The elderly driver drove through a fence and ended up in the
American Airlines cargo area. Miami-Dade Police responded to the security breach and
officers found the elderly man about 250 yards away from the fence. The elderly man
never got near the tarmac because of an embankment, and airport operations were
never affected by the incident. The incident may have been caused by a medical
emergency, police said. The driver was taken to the hospital and treated.
Source:
http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local ... ce-at-mia/24. November 22, Odessa American – (Texas) Train derailment backs up traffic in
Marathon, Alpine. A train derailment in Brewster County, Texas November 21
delayed train traffic until about 9:30 p.m. officials with Union Pacific Railroad (UP)
report. The derailment occurred at 6:20 a.m. when a train loaded with pipe going from
Los Angeles to Houston derailed about 10 miles west of Longfellow, which is 5 miles
from the Brewster County line. Train traffic was backed up around Alpine and
Marathon following the derailment. A total of 12 trains were delayed, but the line was
opened to train traffic at about 9:30 p.m. said a UP spokesman. Because of the rural
location, UP crews brought equipment from San Antonio so they could remove the pipe
from the derailed car.
Source:
http://www.oaoa.com/news/derailment-763 ... affic.html25. November 22, DNAinfo.com – (New York) Kids escape school bus fire near Penn
Station. In New York City, a group of children narrowly escaped a school bus that
caught fire on Seventh Avenue near Penn Station November 22, authorities and
witnesses said. New York City Fire Department (FDNY) crews responded to the blaze,
outside 460 Seventh Avenue near West 35th Street, after getting reports of heavy
smoke in the area about 8:30 a.m., the FDNY said. A witness who was working across
the street at the time saw bus riders fleeing the inferno before flames engulfed the
vehicle. Another witness who was at a nearby deli said the passengers and driver got
off the bus just in time.
Source:
http://www.dnainfo.com/20111122/midtown ... nn-station26. November 21, Los Angeles Times – (California) Metro bus struck by two bullets in
South Los Angeles. A Metro bus was struck by two bullets in South Los Angeles
November 21 as a gunman on Century Boulevard fired at someone across the street,
authorities said. None of the 20 or so people on board the bus was injured in the
shooting, which occurred about 2:15 p.m. as the bus traveled east on Century near
Western Avenue in Grammercy Park, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
said. One round struck the windshield and the other hit the front door, a sheriff’s
department spokesman said. Deputies from the sheriff’s transit bureau were
investigating the incident.
Source:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... llets.htmlFor more stories, see items 1, 7, 9, 31, and 38
Postal and Shipping SectorNothing to report
Agriculture and Food Sector27. November 22, Food Safety News – (Georgia) Allergen alert: GFS sugar, coffee
creamer mix up. Diamond Crystal Brands of Savannah, Georgia, issued an allergen
alert because of undeclared milk in 12-ounce GFS sugar canisters that were filled in
error with non-dairy coffee creamer, Food Safety News reported November 22. Nondairy
coffee creamer contains sodium caseinate, which is a milk derivative. The items,
which were shipped in 24-can cases include: case label: GFS Non-Dairy Coffee
Creamer - 24/12 ounce - Lot G293 B located on the side of the case and canister label:
GFS Sugar - Lot G293 B located on the bottom of the canister.
Source:
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/a ... ar-mix-up/For more stories, see items 6 and 42
Water Sector28. November 21, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – (Wisconsin; Michigan) Debris on
Michigan beaches tied to Milwaukee sewer overflows. Some of the debris that
washed up on Michigan beaches in 2008 and 2010 likely came from Milwaukee sewer
overflows, federal investigators concluded in documents released November 21 by the
Chicago-based Alliance for the Great Lakes. According to the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, a 2011 U.S. Coast Guard summary of the investigations identifies combined
sewer overflows in June 2008 and July 2010 as a “logical suspect” in releasing debris
to the lake that later washed ashore in Michigan, the Alliance said in a statement on its
Web site. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration analysis of lake tides,
currents, and winds after both overflows concluded the debris might have come from
Milwaukee at around the time of the overflows, according to investigation documents.
An estimated 2.9 billion gallons of untreated sewage and storm water flowed to the lake
over 9 days — June 7 to 15 — in the largest combined sanitary and storm sewer
overflow since the deep tunnel system opened in 1994. The district’s separate sanitary
sewers released 686 million gallons of untreated sewage and storm water to the lake
during overflows from June 7 to 9, 2008. Torrential rains were blamed in a July 22 to
25, 2010, combined sewer overflow of 1.985 billion gallons, and a separate sewer
overflow of 171 million gallons. The Alliance acknowledged that Milwaukee
Metropolitan Sewage District’s (MMSD) state permit allows up to six combined sewer
overflows in a year.
Source:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/ ... 89978.html29. November 21, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – (New Jersey) EPA proposes
plan to remove contaminated sediment from bottom of Pompton Lake; Public
hearing slated for January 5. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
proposed November 21 to dredge approximately 68,000 cubic yards of mercury
contaminated sediment from the bottom of a 26-acre area of Pompton Lake in the
Borough of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey and remove 7,800 cubic yards of
contaminated soil from a one-acre area adjacent to the lake. The proposed cleanup is
designed to remove 100 percent of the mercury contamination in the near shore
sediment in the Acid Brook Delta of Pompton Lake and clean up soil in the adjacent
area. The E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc. operated the Pompton Lakes
Works facility, lat 2000 Cannonball Road, from 1902 to April 1994. Products
manufactured at the facility included explosive powder containing mercury and lead,
detonating fuses, electric blasting caps, metal wires, and aluminum and copper shells.
The manufacturing operations and waste management practices contaminated soil,
sediment, and groundwater on and off-site. Lead and mercury from its operations were
released into Acid Brook, which flows through the facility and discharges into the Acid
Brook Delta. The cleanup is the specific focus of the proposed cleanup plan, which
requires a permit modification under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act. Once EPA’s proposal is final, it will be reflected in the modified permit that
legally requires DuPont to fund and perform the work. Cleanup will be performed
under EPA oversight, and is expected to begin in spring 2012. DuPont’s operations also
contaminated groundwater with chlorinated volatile organic compounds, such as
tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, cis 1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride.
Plans to clean up the remaining areas of contamination will be the subject of future
proposed permit modifications when investigations have been completed and reviewed
by federal and state authorities.
Source:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.ns ... 4F006902DFFor another story, see item 2
Public Health and Healthcare Sector30. November 21, Insurance Journal – (Kansas) Kansas hospital alerts patients to online
security breach. Officials at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, Kansas, said
they are anticipating a federal investigation and possible fine after an online security
breach potentially compromised 8,000 patients’ financial information. The Lawrence
Journal World reported the hospital mailed letters alerting patients to the problem. The
breach apparently occurred September 20 when a company that hosts the hospital’s
online bill paying service was upgrading its system. The company left a portal open
that contained payment records from 28 patients. That data was accessed by Google,
which then cached the page and kept the information public. Hospital officials also
believe there was a way to access a database with information on every patient who had
used the online bill pay system since it was first offered in 2005 from that portal. The
hospital learned about the breach October 28 after a patient using Google to search her
husband’s name found his financial data online. The hospital has advised patients to put
a lock on the account, or obtain new credit or bank cards. Two patients have contacted
the hospital so far about charges they consider suspicious. Online bill pay has been shut
down but should return in a few weeks. The hospital already was in the process of
switching to a different vendor to provide the service.
Source:
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/mi ... 224915.htmGovernment Facilities Sector31. November 22, Associated Press – (Florida) North Fla. brush fire forces school to
close. A brush fire in north Florida has forced officials to close an elementary school.
Putnam County School Board officials decided to close Ochwilla Elementary School in
Hawthorne, November 22 because smoke from the smoldering fire was expected to
blow onto the campus. Officials said buses would have had to be rerouted to avoid
smoke-covered roads. The Gainesville Sun reported the fire has been burning for about
a week and covers some 700 acres along the Alachua-Putnam county line. The Florida
Highway Patrol said some roads have been periodically closed due to smoke. Forestry
officials said the cause of the fire has not been determined.
Source:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/22/2 ... chool.html32. November 22, Associated Press – (Colorado) Colo. barricaded airman suspect is
awaiting sentencing on attempted sex exploitation of child. The U.S. Air Force said
it is investigating how an airman managed to get his own handgun onto a sensitive air
base in Colorado where he barricaded himself in a building for 10 hours before
surrendering. The airman was taken into custody at Schriever Air Force Base near
Colorado Springs, Colorado, at about 8 p.m. November 21, officials said. No injuries
were reported. The base, about 60 miles south of Denver, controls more than 60
military satellites, including those used for GPS. The Air Force said satellite operations
were not disrupted. Officials said the suspect was in a building where personnel prepare
for deployment. The satellite control rooms are in a separate, heavily guarded area.
Authorities said the airman faces a possible discharge for an unrelated crime in civilian
court. He is being held in the Teller County jail in Divide, Colorado, under an
agreement between the county and the Air Force base. Air Force officials did not say
whether the suspect will face prosecution in civilian or military court over the standoff.
Personal weapons are forbidden on the base. The suspect is a member of the 50th
Security Forces Squadron, and has been in the Air Force for 2 years and 9 months,
officials said.
Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... tional_pop33. November 22, Associated Press – (South Carolina) Suspicious package shuts SC
school for 2nd day. A suspicious package has led officials to cancel classes at a
Columbia high school for the second time in less than a month in Columbia, South
Carolina. The package was found November 21 before classes started at Eau Claire
High School. Police closed a road in front of the school as they investigated. Richland
School District 1 originally announced a 2-hour delay, but decided to cancel classes
about 2 hours later. Eau Claire students also missed a day October 31 after a suspicious
package was found. Police detonated the package, but never said what was inside.
Source:
http://www.wftv.com/ap/ap/education/sus ... day/nFjNt/34. November 21, KMGH 7 Denver – (Colorado) Art + science chemicals = 16 sickened
at school. The smell that made more than a dozen students sick at Blevins Middle
School November 18 is being blamed on chemicals from an art class and a science lab
storage area mixing in the air in Fort Collins, Colorado. Officials believe the odor came
from non-toxic sulfur-based compound, in a classroom. The investigation indicates that
when the school’s ventilation system malfunctioned, fumes from this compound could
have combined with other vapors from typical classroom chemicals in the adjacent
science lab. This created an airborne irritant similar to strong cleaning agents. As a
safety precaution, Poudre School District said it removed the chemicals in question,
ventilated the entire building ,and hired a private cleaning company to sanitize the four
affected classrooms. Classes resumed November 21. Poudre Schools is reviewing all of
its science lab chemicals and ventilation systems, according to an official with the
Poudre School District.
Source:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/29 ... etail.html35. November 18, Pacific Business News – (Hawaii) PBS Hawaii knock off the air by
fire; no one injured. A light exploded at PBS Hawaii’s television studio November 18,
igniting a fire in the insulation in the ceiling, knocking Hawaii’s only public broadcast
station off the air, and prompting 50 people to evacuate the building on the Manoa
campus of the University of Hawaii. The fire was contained a short time after the fire
broke out just before 11 a.m. at the PBS headquarters on the corner of Dole Street and
University Avenue, according to the PBS Hawaii president and CEO. The public
television station’s only studio was filled with smoke, and the entire PBS staff of 33
people, as well as about 20 people in a UH classroom, had to be evacuated, she said.
The station was off the air and without electricity November 18, but power could be
restored over the weekend of November 19 and 20, at which time the station could go
back on the air. The fire department put the damage estimate at $250,000.
Source:
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news ... o-one.htmlEmergency Services Sector36. November 21, Fort Collins Coloradoan – (Colorado) Larimer Jail inmates facing
rioting charges after throwing feces. Four inmates are facing rioting and assault
charges after they threw feces and barricaded themselves in their cells at the Larimer
County, in Fort Collins, Colorado, jail. The inmates barricaded themselves in their cells
in the high-security wing about 7 p.m. November 20, sheriff’s officials said. The men
eventually surrendered peacefully. “It’s not clear there’s anything specific that
triggered it,” said a spokesman for the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. “They started
throwing the fecal matter and then all went into their cells and flooded them, which
flooded the day room.” The jail’s special emergency response team was brought in, as
was a K-9 unit. The dog’s presence prompted one of the four to surrender immediately.
The other three inmates remained barricaded in their cells, and resisted deputies’
attempts to open the doors. The spokesman said for security reasons he could not
disclose exactly how the inmates were able to block their doors. The four inmates are
facing charges including rioting, assault on a peace officer, criminal mischief, and
obstructing government operations.
Source:
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20111 ... od|mostcom37. November 21, KRCR 7 Redding – (California) Girls discover sheriff evidence bags in
A.C.I.D canal. Two Redding, California, girls were hospitalized November 19 after
finding a bag of Shasta County Sheriff’s Office evidence. The two girls were walking a
dog along the A.C.I.D canal in Redding when they came across a black bag. The girls
found it just yards away from Juniper School. The bag was filled with discarded
evidence from the sheriff’s office from investigations from 2005. The evidence
included sheriff documents, cds, and broken drug pipes with biohazard signs. The
office’s chief evidence technician said the bag did not have any hypodermic needles.
The girls were taken to a hospital where they underwent a drug screening, and were
tested for HIV and Hepatitis. The sheriff’s department said they were unsure how the
bag got to the canal. They believe it was taken from a dumpster near the department.
Since this incident, the department has invested in new dumpster locks, officials said.
Source:
http://www.krcrtv.com/news/29827890/detail.htmlFor another story, see item 4
Information Technology Sector38. November 21, Saginaw News – (Michigan) Chemical vapor leak at Hemlock
Semiconductor Group. A chemical vapor leak at Hemlock Semiconductor Group’s
(HSC) manufacturing site November 20 forced the facility in Saginaw County,
Michigan, to close for about 30 minutes. No injuries were reported, but roads were
blocked around the factory and nearby residents were told to stay indoors. The Thomas
Township fire chief said HSC called at 10:40 a.m. seeking backup as a precaution. The
Richland Township fire department also responded. The leak was a minor vapor release
that extended beyond the plant’s fence line, a spokeswoman for Hemlock said in a
statement. Residents within 1 mile northeast of the plant were asked to stay in their
homes, but the Thomas Township fire chief said none of the gas release was detected
off HSC property. The contaminant leaked was chlorosilane, he said. He said it gives
off an odor similar to ammonia and irritates they eyes and throat. He said workers were
conducting a maintenance operation and cleaning a vessel. Fire and HSC officials are
investigating.
Source:
http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index ... mlock.html39. November 21, CNET News – (International) Android’s a malware magnet, says
McAfee. Malware targeting Android devices continues to surge, according to a new
report from McAfee, pushing 2011 to become the busiest year in history for mobile and
general malware. The amount of malware infecting Android devices during the third
quarter grew almost 37 percent from the second quarter, according to McAfee’s Third-
Quarter Threats Report. Android’s growing demand among consumers has made it an
increasingly ripe and inviting target for cybercriminals — almost all new mobile
malware over the third quarter was aimed squarely at Android. Among all mobile
platforms, Nokia’s Symbian OS still saw the greatest amount of malware. As a result of
the onslaught against Android and the growth in overall malware, McAfee believes the
industry will see 75 million unique pieces of malware by the end of the year, up from
its previous forecast of 70 million. Phony antivirus products, AutoRun malware, and
password-stealing trojans were among the most common types of malware in the
quarter, staging a rebound from previous quarters. Malware aimed at the Mac also
continues to grow. The number of botnet infections inched down over the third quarter
but staged dramatic gains in countries such as Argentina, Indonesia, Russia, and
Venezuela. Cutwail, Festi, and Lethic proved to be the most dangerous and damaging
botnets last quarter. Though spam dropped in numbers since 2007, it has grown in
sophistication, according to McAfee. Spearphishing, or targeted spam, is increasingly
being adopted by more attackers and is proving to be highly effective.
Source:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-573285 ... ys-mcafee/For more stories, see items 19, 30, and 41
Internet AlertTo report cyber infrastructure incidents or to request information,
please contact US-CERT at
sos@us-cert.gov or visit their
Web site:
http://www.us-cert.govInformation on IT information sharing and analysis can be found
at the IT ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center)
Web site:
https://www.it-isac.orgCommunications Sector40. November 21, KGW 8 Portland – (Oregon) Portland TV stations lose signal. Three
Portland, Oregon television stations lost their signal on many carriers November 20,
and again for a short time early November 21, and wild weather was being blamed. The
broadcasts from Channels 2, 6, and 8 went dark for many cable, satellite, and over-theair
users at about 8:30 p.m. November 20. KGW 8 Portland engineers created a
solution at about 9:30 p.m. that restored broadcasts for Channel 8 viewers. The other
two stations were able to restore their signal later November 20. A tree fell into a power
line, and the power line then damaged the fiber line that connects all three stations to
their transmitters in the West Hills, triggering the outage. Channel 12 was not affected
because its studios are located in Beaverton, so its fiber line runs along a different route
from the Sylvan Hills. The three Portland stations also experienced a brief outage
around 4:30 a.m. November 21 while the main fiber line was severed to complete
repairs. All three stations were using backup transmitters until the repairs could be
completed. Full repair of the fiber line was expected by around noon November 21.
Source:
http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=134223883 ... main=1020241. November 21, Computerworld – (International) AT&T says attempted hack of
customer accounts failed. AT&T November 21 acknowledged an organized attempt to
hack information on fewer than 1 percent of its 100 million wireless customers, but it
said no accounts were breached. A spokesman said the hackers appear to have used
auto-script technology to find whether AT&T telephone numbers were linked to online
AT&T accounts. He did not elaborate, but said an investigation is continuing. The
spokesman said fewer than 1 percent of AT&T’s 100.7 million wireless subscribers
were contacted by hackers through e-mail — a number that could mean about 1 million
customers were affected. “Our investigation is ongoing to determine the source or
intent of the attempt to gather this information,” the AT&T spokesman said. He said
the AT&T account holders were advised of the attempt “out of an abundance of
caution.”
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/ ... nts_failedFor more stories, see items 32, 35, and 39
Commercial Facilities Sector42. November 21, WHNS 21 Greenville – (North Carolina) 8 departments battle blaze
that destroys NC clubhouse. Firefighters from several departments were fighting a
fire at a Tryon, North Carolina country club November 21. According to the Columbus
Fire Department’s assistant chief, crews found heavy smoke on both sides of the
entrance, and shortly after flames shot through the roof. Crews had to evacuate into a
defensive operation to battle the fire. A total of eight departments responded. The North
Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was called in due to the size of the loss,
estimated between $500,000 and $750,000. The clubhouse building was a total loss,
which included the locker rooms, bar, and restaurant areas.
Source:
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/160904 ... club-blaze43. November 20, WTNH 8 New Haven – (Connecticut) Yale U-Haul driver passes
sobriety test. When a U-Haul truck plowed through the Lot D parking lot at the Yale
University-Harvard University football game in New Haven, Connecticut, November
18, striking three and killing one, many assumed the driver was drunk; but police said
that is not the case. New Haven police said the driver passed a field sobriety test. His
attorney released a statement that said the accident was the result of a vehicle
malfunction. As of November 22, no charges had been filed against the driver. Police
said it is still early in the investigation.
Source:
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_haven_ ... hpt=us_bn4For another story, see item 1
National Monuments and Icons SectorNothing to report
Dams Sector44. November 22, Cranford Chronicle – (New Jersey) Levee system faces ‘potential
failure’. Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers came to Cranford,
New Jersey for a special workshop meeting November 21 to discuss the integrity of the
township’s levee system, the potential for increasing the capacity of Lenape Park basin,
and the modeling of a retention basin on Birchwood Avenue. According to the
Cranford Chronicle, the presentation came after completing about 30 percent of their
overall study, expected to be finished in 2015, looking at Cranford’s flood mitigation
plans. A geotechnical team leader on the project explained levees are tested for their
side slopes as well as their ability to protect against seepage. The system in Cranford,
according to the team leader, faces “potential failure” with seepage, because of the
composition of the soil at the base of the levees and a lack of an impervious core. These
factors could lead to water seeping through the base of the levees, potentially creating a
hole. The hydraulic engineer for the project said, based on the evaluation that has been
done so far, the levees as they are now can withstand approximately a 10-25 year storm
event. Hurricanes Floyd and Irene were 100- and 500-year events respectively. He also
told residents it is possible that the pressure caused by Irene could have weakened the
levees further, increasing the probability of failure.
Source:
http://www.nj.com/cranford/index.ssf/20 ... ial_f.html45. November 21, Sacramento Bee – (California) Drilling begins on American River
Parkway levees. A contractor hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is drilling
into levees along the American River Parkway through January to collect soil samples.
Truck-mounted drilling rigs and an equipment staging area are located along the river’s
south bank, at Paradise Beach in Sacramento, California. The work will continue
eastward, on both sides of the river, through January. A Corps spokesman said the
contractor is drilling adjacent to levees along the river to take soil samples. The results
will help engineers assess erosion and seepage risk. The work is just one part of the
Corps’ broad assessment of levee safety in Sacramento. Called a general re-evaluation
report, it will help determine if the levees need additional work to meet a 200-year
flood safety standard, or the ability to hold back a flood with a half-percent chance of
striking in any given year.
Source:
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/21/407179 ... river.htmlDHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report Contact InformationAbout the reports - The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a daily [Monday through Friday]
summary of open-source published information concerning significant critical infrastructure issues. The DHS Daily
Open Source Infrastructure Report is archived for ten days on the Department of Homeland Security Web site:
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Send mail to
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Contact DHSTo report physical infrastructure incidents or to request
information, please contact the National Infrastructure
Coordinating Center at
nicc@dhs.gov or (202) 282-9201.
To report cyber infrastructure incidents or to request information,
please contact US-CERT at
soc@us-cert.gov or visit
their Web page at
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Department of Homeland Security DisclaimerThe DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a non-commercial publication intended to educate and inform
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