A Civil Support Team member carries the Hazmat Cam during a training exercise. Designed by the INEEL, the Hazmat Cam is a lightweight wireless video camera system that emergency team members carry to the incident scene. Housed in a tough, waterproof flashlight body about eight inches long, the camera system sends back real-time images to a video monitor, or computer at a command post located up to several miles from the incident area.

The INEEL uses its science-based, applied engineering strengths to deliver innovative solutions to the nation's homeland security challenges. Led by the National Security Division, the laboratory conducts research and development, deploys technologies, and offers vast testing facilities and capabilities to improve the security of our citizens, infrastructure and environment.

Long recognized as a leader in the development of technologies to combat terrorism, INEEL has marshaled these considerable resources to tackle issues facing the Department of Homeland Security.

• Prevent terrorist attacks within the United States
• Reduce the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism
• Minimize the damage and assist in the recovery from terrorist attacks that do occur
• Monitor connections between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism

Prevention
INEEL scientists and researchers have developed advanced technologies and systems to detect weapons of mass destruction. The Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) (141 KB) system is a field non-destructive evaluation tool used to identify the contents of munitions and chemical storage containers safely and reliably. Originally developed for use by the U.S. Army to identify chemical warfare agents within stockpiled or non-stockpile munitions, PINS has also demonstrated the ability to detect explosives and other hazardous materials. PINS - a 1992 R&D 100 award winner - can detect chemical weapons agents, explosives and hazardous materials in typical assay times of 100 to 1000 seconds.

Using accelerator technology, our scientists have developed a method to identify nuclear material in various shielded configurations. Our process can differentiate between legally shipped medical, commercial and research isotopes and smuggled weapons-grade uranium. We are working with a commercial firm to test the system at a U.S. point-of-entry.

Vulnerability Reduction
In partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, our design and test engineers are developing the National SCADA Testbed (414 KB). Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition or SCADA systems are used for the planning, operation and maintenance of utility grids. We have extensive experience in the design, development, integration, systemization, testing and demonstration of SCADA systems. Our SCADA Testbed will help identify vulnerabilities, improve the security and robustness of existing systems, and pave the way for design of secure and reliable future systems.

Damage Mitigation
We have developed a concept of an aggressive approach for infrastructure defense called Infrastructure Consequence Control (157 KB). Similar to advanced firefighting techniques, implementation of this concept limits damage to infrastructures, reduces recovery time, and mitigates economic impacts to any community facing repercussions from a chemical, biological or nuclear weapons attack.

Sever Drug Trafficking/Terrorism Connections
The INEEL is conducting research on detecting the illegal movements of currency, using advanced ion mobility spectrometry. Sponsored in part through U.S. Customs Service, the detection of currency will serve as a powerful tool to help eliminate drug trafficking and sever the connection to terrorism.

Critical Infrastructure Assurance
The primary homeland security mission of the INEEL is to develop, test, certify, and deploy technologies to protect the nation's critical infrastructure, the environment, and the citizenry from terrorist threat, aging, degradation, or any action or circumstances that make the infrastructure vulnerable.

The INEEL Critical Infrastructure Assurance is a comprehensive program that encompasses not only the application of technologies, but also policies and processes that protect and strengthen the nation's infrastructure. We have defined a cyclical process in which each phase feeds data to, and supports the resolution of the next phase. Before researchers can develop the technical solutions against threats, we must fully understand the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure systems and components, and communicate vulnerability risks to customer and stakeholders. Faced with that list of vulnerabilities, we can assist the customer in mitigating those vulnerabilities and prioritizing upgrade investment decisions for existing infrastructures. We can apply consequence control procedures to existing infrastructure in order to limit damage, reduce recovery time from attacks, and lessen economic impacts. This broad INEEL infrastructure assurance program continues with the development of standards for new, more robust infrastructures and the certification of systems and components against the new standards. The last component in this cyclical process involves developing "smart" infrastructure components and systems.

The Critical Infrastructure Assurance program builds on more than five decades of the INEEL successfully serving as a test range for numerous governmental activities with an emphasis on nuclear and military development and testing. The site's remote location, its sophisticated infrastructures, and its science and engineering base make the site a natural critical infrastructure testbed in support of the security missions of DOE, DHS, and the nation.

We have established a Critical Infrastructure Protection Test Range (230 KB) to evaluate technologies on a scaleable basis using existing INEEL infrastructure. These evaluations will facilitate greater understanding of complex infrastructure systems, allowing staff to develop new avenues for mitigation and consequence management. Other testbed activities currently underway include Wireless Testbed (283 KB), Cyber Security Testbed (340 KB), and, in cooperation with Sandia National Laboratories, the National SCADA Testbed (414 KB).

In support of this program, the laboratory conducts research in materials studies and development; power systems, including supervisory control and data acquisition testing facilities; wireless communications; command and control systems; sensors; accelerator technologies; various analysis technologies such as ion mass spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy; and integrated field-deployable systems.

The laboratory will continue and build upon work currently being conducted for DOE and other federal agencies, such as the Department of Defense (DOD) related to securing the nation's energy infrastructure, and detecting, deterring, and countering terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction. We will continue to support development of improved detection and response technologies, and to provide technology development and environmental planning in support of the Department of Homeland Security's programs. We will apply our technologies, research capabilities, and expertise to address the challenges related to non-proliferation and environmental security.

National security is an enduring mission of the INEEL as evidenced by its inclusion as one of the four key mission areas of the laboratory, along with Energy, Science and Environmental Management. As such, responsibilities for Homeland Security activities lie with the Associate Laboratory Director of the National Security Division. In the first quarter of FY 2002, the Division established a Homeland Security Working Group - encompassing representation from all operations and research arms of the laboratory - and chartered it to coordinate the comprehensive application of INEEL's technologies and resources in support of homeland security missions.

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