Critical Infrastructure Protection

Overview

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Infrastructure Protection Plan 2006, critical infrastructure is defined as "assets, systems and networks, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such assets, systems or networks would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."

In an effort to secure the nation's critical infrastructure, DHS has charged each state with developing a list of its critical infrastructure and key resources.  In Virginia, the responsible entity is the Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness (OCP).  As such OCP has worked with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia State Police and other local, state federal and private partners to identify, prioritize, assess and protect Virginia's critical infrastructure.

Developing Protection and Resiliency

OCP uses several methods to accomplish this important task. The Secure Commonwealth Panel's Critical Infrastructure Subpanel meets regularly to discuss infrastructure issues throughout the Commonwealth. They have developed Virginia's Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resiliency Strategy Plan, in keeping with DHS's National Infrastructure Protection Plan and other pertinent documents and practices.

In addition, Virginia also:

• participates in a variety of critical infrastructure programs, such as the Buffer Zone Protection Program;
• supports regional resiliency projects funded by DHS grants; and
• serves on the advisory working group for the National Capitol Region.

OCP will continue its work with our partners in local, state, federal and private sector entities to refine Virginia's critical infrastructure protection and resiliency process.