Answers Awaited from Legislature Regarding Homeland Security

This evening, Tuesday, July 22, 2008, I presented and submitted the following statement to the Niagara County Legislature:

“ REGARDING HOMELAND SECURITY

A recent article in the Niagara-Gazette, titled “Homeland security plan needs to evolve,”(May 30, 2008) highlights the continuing vulnerability of the power plant and Lewiston-Queenston bridge to a terrorist attack.

A quick drive up the parkway confirms this threat. Seemingly, an inept terrorist in a mini-van could do the job much like Timothy McVeigh destroyed the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Minimally, such an attack surely would seriously at least disrupt commerce if not energy delivery. What an imaginative terrorist who is well supplied and trained might be capable of doing is anyone’s guess. Obviously no one imagined or guessed well enough with respect to the Twin Towers.

My question is this: What does the Legislature intend to do about this seemingly long overlooked dangerous situation?

If something has been done my question is: What is it?

If nothing was done or nothing needs to be done my question is: Why?

I don’t expect an answer to this tonight. However I look forward to some preferably public response to my concern such that an open discussion might occur.

I’ll provide the County Clerk a copy of the Guest View, my home address and the questions to which I hope to receive an answer.

Lastly possibly you could answer this evening whether a member of the Legislature would commit to appear on local media to review and discuss this issue with the public.

Thank you for your time and attention.”

This statement and a copy of the Guest View editorial, “Homeland security plan needs to evolve,” in addition to an article from the Buffalo News by Lou Michels entitled “Boaters on front line against terror threats” was submitted to the Legislature. Hopefully each will receive a copy.

No Legislator this evening came forward to commit to discussing the status of the bridge and power plant security in a public media format. I will be waiting to see if anyone comes forward to answer my questions.

Hopefully there are simple answers to my questions. If there are not and if there are no forthcoming explanations by the Legislature, possibly as stated in the above article, “This is a monumental collective denial that has risen out of irresponsibility, ignorance, indifference and political concerns of (comparatively) little merit.”

I myself will reserve judgement until the Legislature has time to respond.

In the meantime you yourself might take a drive up the Robert Moses and see for yourself. Surely a truck with explosives could stop above the power plant or under the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and in seconds detonate a rather damaging explosion. What would stop it? Is there surveillance with instantaneous response capabilities? Are there well hidden security guards ready to pounce at a seconds notice? Is there some invisible shield that is not visible to the naked eye?

It would be sad to think the only thing stopping such an attack is that the terrorists have for whatever reason chosen not to do it.