Homeland Security
Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report
12 August 2011
Top Stories
•
Authorities rendered harmless and removed a possible explosive device consisting of black
powder, propane, and a timer that was found on a gas line in Okemah, Oklahoma, August
10. – Bartlesville Radio (See item 2)
•
St. Louis-based brokerage firm Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., and a former senior executive were
charged with defrauding 5 Wisconsin school districts by selling them risky investments
that resulted in $200 million in losses. – Reuters (See item 17)
Fast Jump Menu
PRODUCTION INDUSTRIES
• Energy
• Chemical
• Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste
• Critical Manufacturing
• Defense Industrial Base
• Dams
SUSTENANCE and HEALTH
• Agriculture and Food
• Water
• Public Health and Healthcare
SERVICE INDUSTRIES
• Banking and Finance
• Transportation
• Postal and Shipping
• Information Technology
• Communications
• Commercial Facilities
FEDERAL and STATE
• Government Facilities
• Emergency Services
• National Monuments and Icons
Energy Sector
Current 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. August 11, Reuters – (National) Panel seeks more disclosure on natural gas
drilling. Natural gas drillers should reveal all chemicals they use in the drilling
technique called "fracking" used to tap deep shale reserves, a government panel said
August 11, even though the risk of water pollution from the technique is "remote." The
U.S. Energy Department's natural gas advisory subcommittee urged regulators to
require drillers to release more information about the impact of hydraulic fracturing,
which is essential to tapping the nation's plentiful shale gas reserves. The panel said in
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an interim report it "shares the prevailing view that the risk of fracturing fluid leakage
into drinking water sources through fractures made in deep shale reservoirs is remote."
Tasked by the U.S. President's administration with identifying steps to improve the
safety of shale gas drilling, the seven-member panel outlined a series of
recommendations for increasing transparency and strengthening oversight of the
practice. Innovations in the technique have led to an explosion of shale gas
development, but the expansion has also prompted public backlash. Environmental
groups and some landowners believe fracking has fouled drinking supplies, making
livestock and children sick, and tap water flammable.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/11/us-usa-natgas-frackingidUSTRE77A0HZ20110811
2. August 10, Bartlesville Radio – (Oklahoma) Possible bomb removed from gas
pipeline. A possible explosive device found August 10 on a gas line in Okemah,
Oklahoma, was rendered harmless and removed from the site. An FBI special agent
said the FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol bomb technicians had recovered the device
and determined there were no secondary devices at the scene. The agent said the
device's contents would be taken to a laboratory and examined to see if they were
active or inert. A law enforcement official told CNN the device was made up of black
powder, propane, and a timing device. The official could not assess how effective the
device may have been, or how much damage it might have caused.
Source: http://bartlesvilleradio.com/pages/news/16262011/possible-bomb-removedfrom-gas-pipeline
For another story, see item 27
[Return to top]
Chemical Industry Sector
3. August 11, St. Petersburg Times – (Florida) Pinellas County fines Home Depot
$9,000 for violating nitrogen fertilizer sales ban. The Home Depot has become the
first business fined by Pinellas County, Florida, for violating a ban on selling fertilizer
during the summer. Pinellas gave the Atlanta-based retailer until August 22 to sign a
consent order agreeing to pay $9,073.82 in fines, and promising to stop selling the
prohibited fertilizers. The violations mostly involved fertilizer for plants such as roses,
citrus, and vegetables in seven stores. It is a market niche not seriously debated in 2010
when the county commission passed the ban over the objections of lawn services. The
ban restricts use or sales of products with nitrogen or phosphorous from June 1 to
September 30 each year to stave off pollution running from yards into waterways. A
Home Depot spokesman called the violations "regrettable miscommunication," and said
stores are now "fully compliant." A county inspector confirmed August 10 that the
retailer no longer had any banned products on its shelves. The county ordinance
specifically refers to lawns and landscape plants, vegetable gardens are exempt. Any
general use fertilizer with the banned ingredients falls under the restriction, said
Pinellas' watershed management director for Pinellas. Products exclusively used for
food plants and indoor plants aren't included, she said. County inspectors found
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anywhere from 2 to 26 banned products in each Home Depot store inspected in July.
That led to $1,000 fines for each store, instead of each product. The county then upped
the fine 10 percent for the degree of willfulness, and tacked on administrative fees. In a
separate case, TruGreen, a lawn care company that opposed the ban, faces a possible
$370 fine after applying fertilizer during a spring storm, which also is restricted, the
watershed management director said. That consent decree is being drafted.
Source: http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/pinellas-county-fines-homedepot-9000-for-violating-nitrogen-fertilizer/1185273
4. August 11, Wausau Daily Herald – (Wisconsin) Man treated and released after acid
burn. An employee of Schuette Metals in Rothschild, Wisconsin was taken to the
hospital August 10 after an acid spill burned parts of his arms and face. The Rothschild
Fire Department responded to the business in the 1600 block of Morrison Avenue
shortly after 4 p.m. when it was reported nitric acid splashed onto the arms and face of
a 48-year-old man. The acid is used in the company’s weld etching process, the
company president said. He said about 35 employees were briefly evacuated from the
plant while the fire department investigated fumes and cleaned up a small spill. None of
the other employees was in danger from the incident, but the company wanted to make
sure it did not underreact, the president said. He said the injured employee was treated
and released from Aspirus Wausau Hospital August 10.
Source:
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20110811/WDH0101/110811033/Mantreated-released-after-acid-burn?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
5. August 10, The Register – (International) Trojan script gets stuck on superglue
site. The Web site of Super Glue became infected with a malicious script earlier this
week as part of a tricky problem that was only resolved August 10. Prior to their
removal of malicious redirection scripts, visitors to the world-famous adhesive maker's
site were redirected to a site punting crud, Avast software warned. It added the site —
supergluecorp.com — was infected for at least 5 days since August 10, during which
time surfers were redirected through a series of other sites to a payload dump that is
currently dormant. The malicious dump site, hosted in Russia, is likely the drop off
point for a scareware scam. Super Glue site surfers were at risk until the firm cleared up
the problem. Avast informed Super Glue Corp. by e-mail and telephone about the
malware prior to going public. The malware was first reported to Avast via its
CommunityIQ cloud-based detection system August 5. Avast noted other less
prominent sites were affected by the same attack. While infected JavaScript
downloaders or redirectors are a commonplace attack tactic, the specific AVF Trojan at
the super glue site is not. “It's not in the top 50 malware rankings, but it has already
been reported in over 500 sites,” an Avast virus lab analyst said.
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/08/10/superglue_site_hit_by_sticky_trojan/
6. August 10, WOFL 35 Orlando – (Florida) Store owner arrested for sale of nitrous
oxide. The owner of a Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, specialty shop was arrested for
the illegal distribution of nitrous oxide, an analgesic commonly known as "laughing
gas." Daytona Beach Shores police officers August 10 executed a search warrant at
Purple Haze, located at 2250 South Atlantic Avenue. Early the week of August 1,
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officers found three men inhaling, or "huffing," nitrous oxide from balloons in a
parking lot across the street from Purple Haze. The men provided officers with nitrous
oxide canisters, a device used to puncture the canisters, and balloons. The men told
officers they purchased the items at Purple Haze. Undercover officers went to Purple
Haze where the store's owner and an employee sold them nitrous oxide canisters, and
the paraphernalia used to inhale it. The owner told officers how to use balloons to trap
the gas. Officers recovered more than $600 worth of nitrous oxide and paraphernalia.
The owner and employee were arrested and charged with sale of harmful chemicals,
and possession of drug paraphernalia. Use of nitrous oxide can result in loss of motor
function and consciousness. Nitrous oxide is frequently used in dentistry as an antianxiety drug, as an adjunct to local anesthetic.
Source: http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/volusia_news/081011-store-ownerarrested-for-sale-of-nitrous-oxide
7. August 10, Safety.BLR.com – (Florida) Safety board highly critical of Florida stance
on public workers. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is displeased with the state
of Florida’s failure to adopt its recommendations to provide federal-level protection to
public workers. This marks the first time a CSB recommendation issued to a state and
its legislature has been closed due to an “unacceptable response” by the recipient. The
recommendation was originally issued in 2007 following investigation of the 2006
methanol fire and explosion at the Bethune Wastewater Treatment plant in Daytona
Beach. Two municipal workers were killed, and a third was seriously injured.
According to the CSB, sparks from a welding torch used by Daytona Beach city
workers above a tank of methanol ignited vapors that exploded. The Board concluded
that if the city had implemented hot work and hazardous communication programs, the
hazards would likely have been found and the tragedy possibly averted. Federal
Occupational Safety and Health Administration protections apply to private employees,
but for the most part not to public workers. In a recent letter to Florida's governor, the
CSB chairman noted proposed legislation to provide workplace protections for public
employees had been strongly supported but failed to pass in 2009 and 2010. He said the
fact that no proposal has appeared in 2011 suggests the governor and legislature do not
plan to take action. ”Florida’s inaction is unacceptable as it means public employees
doing potentially hazardous work have inadequate workplace protections, which they
would have if they were private-sector workers,” the chairman stated.
Source: http://safety.blr.com/workplace-safety-news/safety-administration/safetygeneral/Safety-Board-Highly-Critical-of-Florida-Stance-on-/
8. August 10, Associated Press – (Puerto Rico) EPA orders PRico business to cut lead
pollution. Federal regulators August 10 ordered a battery recycling business in Puerto
Rico to cut lead pollution at its plant on the U.S. island's northwestern coast. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said a continuing investigation of the Battery
Recycling Co. in Arecibo found potential violations of U.S. environmental laws. "It is
vitally important that the Battery Recycling Company control the lead that is escaping
into the air and water from its industrial facility to protect the health of facility workers,
their families and the people who live in the area," an EPA regional administrator said.
The company's lead smelter recycles car batteries and produces roughly 60 tons of lead
a day. Its Web site said it annually recycles roughly 55,000 metric tons of used
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batteries, most of them from Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean. U.S.
regulators said inspections found the company's system for detecting leaks of lead
emissions was not being properly operated to detect soot. Revolving doors on the dust
collection system were potentially allowing dust to escape into the air. Industrial
materials were also not protected from rain, and exposed areas were not clean or in
order, leading to potential runoff pollution, the EPA said.
Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/10/3829565/epa-orders-prico-business-tocut.html
For more stories, see items 19, 24, 25, and 48
[Return to top]
Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste Sector
9. August 10, New Jersey Star-Ledger – (New Jersey) Oyster Creek gets thumbs up for
cyber-security plan. The Oyster Creek nuclear plant near Lacey Township, New
Jersey got approval for its new cyber-security plan to protect on-site servers against
computer hackers and viruses, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said August
10. "In a facility like a nuclear power plant, so much is operated through (information
technology) systems and networks," said a spokeswoman for Oyster Creek’s owner,
Exelon. She said the new security plan governs on-site computer resources including
servers, which are run by a full tech staff. The plan comes following a 2009 NRC
cyber-security rule requiring an overhaul. Staff at the commission said the Oyster
Creek plan offers "high assurance that digital computer and communication systems
and networks … are adequately protected against cyber-attacks," according to a
statement from the NRC.
Source:
http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2011/08/oyster_creek_gets_thumbs_up_fo.html
[Return to top]
Critical Manufacturing Sector
10. August 11, WTAM 1100 AM Cleveland – (Ohio) Five burned in plant explosion. The
Warren Township Fire Department is looking for the cause of an explosion and fire that
burned five employees at Warren Steel Holdings August 11 in Warren, Ohio. The blast
in the melt shop area of the plant was called into the county 911 center just after 6:30
a.m. as a “furnace explosion”. The township fire chief said there were small blazes to
put out when they arrived, but most had been contained by workers. Of the five men
injured, one was flown by helicopter to the Akron burn unit; another was transferred to
Cleveland’s MetroHealth Medical Center. According to its Web site, Warren Steel
Holdings is a fully operational melt shop and casting mill, producing carbon and alloy
steel continuously cast rounds. Their current production capacity is 500,000 tons
annually.
Source: http://www.wtam.com/cccommon/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=122520&article=8957650
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11. August 11, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – (National) Philips Lighting
recalls EnergySaver and Marathon compact flourescent dimmable reflector flood
lamps due to laceration hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC), in cooperation with Philips Lighting of Somerset, New Jersey, August 11
announced a voluntary recall of about 1.86 million EnergySaver and Marathon compact
fluorescent dimmable reflector flood lamps. The glue that attaches the glass outer
envelope or globe to the body of the lamp can fail allowing the glass outer envelope to
fall and strike persons and objects below, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.
Philips has received 700 reports of lamps where the glue failed and the glass outer
envelope fell, including two reports of minor injury, and three reports of minor property
damage. This recall involves Philips EnergySaver, a/k/a Marathon and Marathon
Classic Compact Fluorescent dimmable reflector lamps, models R30, R40 and PAR 38
manufactured between March 2007 and May 2010. Detailed model and UPC numbers,
as well as date codes, are listed in the CPSC recall report. The lamps were sold from
2007 through July 2011. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lamps
and contact Philips to receive instructions on how to receive a free replacement lamp.
Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11302.html
[Return to top]
Defense Industrial Base Sector
Nothing to report
[Return to top]
Banking and Finance Sector
12. August 11, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal – (Minnesota) Edina mortgage
broker pleads guilty to $20M scam. An Edina, Minnesota mortgage broker pleaded
guilty August 10 to fraud involving $20 million and 57 properties, according to the
U.S. attorney's office in Minneapolis. The 40-year-old man had been charged with one
count of fraud July 22. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Government lawyers said the
man conspired with others from 2004 to 2007 to obtain mortgage loan proceeds based
on fake documents, and received about $200,000 in the scheme.
Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2011/08/10/edina-mortgagebroker-guilty-fraud.html
13. August 10, Bloomberg News – (International) U.S. Treasury to freeze assets of Syrian
bank. The U.S. Treasury Department said August 10 it will freeze the assets of the
Commercial Bank of Syria; the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank, a subsidiary; and
the mobile phone company Syriatel for supporting Syrian and North Korean weapons
programs. “We are taking aim at the financial infrastructure that is helping provide
support” to the Syrian president, the under secretary for terrorism and financial
intelligence, said in a Treasury press statement. The United States is interested in
tougher sanctions on the country, including possible action on oil and gas, a U.S. State
Department spokeswoman said August 9. In the statement, Treasury said it sanctioned
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the Commercial Bank of Syria because it provided financial services to Syria’s
Scientific Studies and Research Center and North Korea’s Tanchon Commercial Bank.
The Syrian research center controls the country’s missile production facilities, and
manages Syria’s development of unconventional weapons, according to the Treasury
statement. Tanchon is the primary financial agent for the Korea Mining Development
Corp., North Korea’s main arms dealer, the statement said. The bank also has had
dealings with several Iranian banks that have been sanctioned by the United States.
Syriatel is owned and run by a ”regime insider” who has contributed to the corruption
of Syrian public officials, the Treasury Department said.
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-10/u-s-treasury-to-freeze-assets-ofsyrian-bank.html
14. August 10, KATC 3 Lafayette – (Louisiana) Suspicious substance on money at bank
investigated by Haz-Mat. At 11:32 a.m. August 10, a Lafayette, Louisiana Haz-Mat
team along with Louisiana State Police responded to Capitol One Bank at 213 W.
Vermilion Street to a reported suspicious substance on money being deposited. Hazmat teams evacuated the lobby of the bank. The hands of two employees with the bank
were decontaminated as a precaution. They were sent to a local hospital for evaluation.
Their conditions were unknown August 10. The 62nd Civil Support Team with the
National Guard responded to assist in determining what the substance may have been.
The Lafayette Police Department is assisting in interviewing the individual who
dropped off the money. Both investigations are ongoing.
Source: http://www.katc.com/news/suspicious-substance-on-money-at-bankinvestigated-by-haz-mat/
15. August 10, WABC 7 New York – (New York) Wal-Mart and Citibank credit
scam. Between Wal-Mart and Citibank alone, Nassau County, New York police said
over $225,000 was lost at the hands of crafty thieves using stolen credit card
information. Six suspects were arrested and charged with grand larceny in what Nassau
County police said was a sophisticated theft ring. Investigators said credit card
information was stolen from unsuspecting card holders in California, using a device
called a skimming block. That information, investigators reveal, was then re-encoded to
the magnetic strip on gift cards, where they say they were used at Wal-Mart to purchase
electronics and other items. This resulted in a loss of more than $125,000 to Wal-Mart
and more than $100,000 to Citibank. But what Wal-Mart security personnel first
discovered, according to police, was four employees were also allegedly involved in
the ring. All six are charged with multiple counts of grand larceny. Two of the men also
face multiple counts of possessing a forged instrument.
Source:
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/long_island&id=8299902
16. August 10, U.S. Department of Justice – (International) Brooklyn man pleads guilty
to online identity theft involving more than $700,000 in reported fraud. A
Brooklyn, New York man pleaded guilty August 10 in U.S.district court in Alexandria,
Virginia, for his role in managing a credit card fraud operation that operated throughout
the east coast of the United States, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice
Department’s Criminal Division and a U.S. attorney from the Eastern District of
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Virginia announced. The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to a two-count criminal
information charging him with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He admitted to
managing a scheme to purchase stolen credit card account information through the
Internet from individuals believed to be in Russia. The man also admitted to
distributing the purchased information to individuals in New York, New Jersey, and the
Washington D.C. metropolitan areas so it could be used to make fraudulent purchases.
In pleading guilty, he admitted to illegally possessing information from 2,341 stolen
credit card accounts as well as equipment to put that data onto counterfeit credit cards.
According to information presented in court, companies have reported to the
government more than 4,400 fraudulent charges totaling $770,674 on accounts illegally
possessed by the man. He also possessed 409 gift, debit, or credit cards used as part of
the scheme, which had a total stored value of $42,688. He faces a maximum penalty of
20 years in prison and a fine of $1,541,349 on the wire fraud charge, and 2 years in
prison and a $250,000 fine on the identity theft charge.
Source:
http://7thspace.com/headlines/391322/usdoj_brooklyn_man_pleads_guilty_to_online_i
dentity_theft_involving_more_than_700000_in_reported_fraud.html
17. August 10, Reuters – (Wisconsin) SEC charges Stifel with fraud in Wisconsin
deals. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) August 10 charged St.
Louis-based brokerage firm Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. and a former senior executive with
defrauding 5 Wisconsin school districts by selling them risky investments funded
largely with borrowed money. The SEC said the firm, a unit of Stifel Financial Corp.,
and its former senior vice president (VP) created a proprietary program to help the
districts fund retiree benefits by investing in notes linked to the performance of
synthetic collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). The schools invested $200 million in
three transactions from June to December 2006, paid for largely with borrowed funds.
The investments were a "complete failure, but generated significant fees for Stifel and
the VP," the SEC said in its complaint, filed in federal court in Milwaukee. According
to the complaint, the five school districts are Kenosha Unified School District No. 1,
Kimberly Area School District, School District of Waukesha, West Allis-West
Milwaukee School District, and School District of Whitefish Bay. The SEC alleges
Stifel and the former VP made sweeping assurances to the districts, telling them it
would take "15 Enrons" — a catastrophic, overnight collapse — for the investments to
fail. But they failed to disclose material facts, including that the portfolio in the first
transaction performed poorly from the outset, and that credit rating agencies placed 10
percent of the portfolio on negative watch within 36 days of closing. The SEC alleges
the heavy use of leverage and the structure of the synthetic CDOs exposed the school
districts to a heightened risk of catastrophic loss. The investments steadily declined in
value in 2007 and 2008 as the CDO portfolios suffered a series of downgrades. By
2010, the school districts learned the second and third investments were a complete
loss, and that the lender had seized all of the trusts' assets. The school districts suffered
a complete loss of their investment and suffered credit rating downgrades for failing to
provide additional funds to the trusts they established.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sec-charges-stifel-fraud-wisconsin-deals155357640.html
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18. August 10, New York Times – (National) U.S. charges former executive of Marvell
with fraud. Federal prosecutors announced charges August 10 against a former
employee at the Marvell Technology Group, accusing him of participating in an insider
trading scheme that funneled corporate secrets to hedge fund traders. He was charged
with one count of conspiring to commit securities fraud. The former employee
previously played a starring role at the insider-trading trial of a consultant with Primary
Global Research (PGR). The PGR consultant, according to testimony from a former
Nvidia employee, recruited the Nvidia and Marvell employees to join an “investment
club.” The condition for admittance was simple; the corporate employees must leak
inside information to the PGR consultant. They obliged her request, prosecutors said,
turning over detailed earnings reports for Marvell and Nvidia ahead of public release.
In turn, the PGR consultant shared secret stock tips with the men, according to a
complaint unsealed August 10 in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, New York. The
scheme heated up during the summer of 2008, prosecutors said, when the PGR
consultant sought advance word on Marvell’s quarterly earnings. The two talked a few
days later, each on cellphones. About two minutes after the call, the PGR consultant
contacted a hedge fund manager, selling inside information to him and a former trader
at SAC Capital Advisors. The former SAC trader said the illegal stock tips earned him
and his funds millions of dollars. The former Nvidia employee, has already pleaded
guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. The
Marvell employee was well-positioned to dole out corporate secrets, prosecutors said.
As the reporting manager to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), he
was allowed to thumb through earnings reports before their release.
Source: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/u-s-charges-former-executive-ofmarvell-with-fraud/
For another story, see item 31
[Return to top]
Transportation Sector
19. August 11, WIBC 93.1 FM Indianapolis – (Indiana) Semi explosion kills driver in
Boone County. A three-vehicle crash August 11 in a Boone County, Indiana
construction zone killed a semi driver and shut down a stretch of the interstate. Indiana
State Police said the crash happened about 3:45 am, in the southbound lanes of
Interstate 65, near the US 52 exit. Police said the driver who was killed was southbound
in a semi and crashed into a semi stopped in construction traffic. It is not immediately
clear why he failed to stop. The impact of the crash triggered a chain-reaction crash
into a third semi. The crash sparked a fire and explosion in two box trailers being
pulled by the middle semi. The fire was tough to extinguish because the trailers were
loaded with barrels of petroleum and paint. State highway engineers said the fire did
not cause permanent damage to the interstate.
Source: http://www.wibc.com/news/Story.aspx?ID=1516410
20. August 10, WTVT 13 Tampa – (Florida) School bus crashes into pond. Authorities
said a bus full of central Florida students crashed into a pond in Melbourne on the way
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to school. The Florida Highway Patrol reported the 67-year-old bus driver was
transporting 26 students to Viera High School August 10 when he apparently
experienced some kind of medical episode and lost consciousness. The Brevard County
school bus veered off the road and into a retention pond. The front end of the bus went
several feet underwater, but the back end remained on land. The students exited the rear
emergency door. Rescue workers responded and took the driver to a nearby hospital,
where he was in stable condition. The crash remains under investigation. No charges
were immediately filed.
Source: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/state/school-bus-crashes-intopond-08102011
For more stories, see items 2, 27, and 37
[Return to top]
Postal and Shipping Sector
21. August 10, WGHP 8 Sophia – (North Carolina) Woman used fake checks to buy over
$12,000 in stamps. A Gastonia, North Carolina, woman has been charged with using
fraudulent checks to buy over $12,000 worth of stamps across the Piedmont. The
woman allegedly asked for 50 coils of stamps August 8 at the Thomasville, North
Carolina, branch of the U.S. Post Office. When employees attempted to verify the
check, police said workers discovered the account number belonged to a business in
Greensboro, North Carolina. Officers with the Thomasville Police Department
responded to the scene and arrested the woman. Officers searched the woman's car and
found numerous postage stamps, receipts and two more fraudulent checks. Police said
the postage stamps were worth $12,388.90, and were bought from post offices in
Greensboro using fraudulent checks. She has been charged with attempting to obtain
property by false pretenses. She received a $15,000 secured bond and has an August 25
court date. Thomasville police are also working with the U.S. Postal Inspector's Office
in the investigation.
Source: http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-gastonia-woman110810,0,2392680.story
[Return to top]
Agriculture and Food Sector
22. August 11, Associated Press – (International) 7 more people jailed in China for
selling banned chemical that makes pork leaner. Seven more people were jailed in
China for selling a banned chemical that makes pork leaner but is harmful to humans.
The official Xinhua News Agency said August 11 a court in central Henan province
sentenced the seven to jail terms ranging from 1 to 10 years for selling clenbuterol to
farmers. Xinhua said the suspects were also fined up to $4,000, according to the verdict
August 9. A man in July was sentenced to death for producing and selling clenbuterol.
Six other people, including three former food safety officials, were also jailed.
Clenbuterol can cause nausea, dizziness, headaches, and heart palpitations in humans.
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Tainted pork is among a string of recent food scandals in China.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/7-more-people-jailed-inchina-for-selling-banned-chemical-that-makes-porkleaner/2011/08/11/gIQAl3T27I_story.html
23. August 11, Food Safety News – (Michigan) Nine E. coli cases in Michigan ground
beef outbreak. Five confirmed cases and four suspected cases of E. coli O157:H7
infection were reported August 10 by Michigan officials, the day after the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
announced a recall of ground beef in the state. That is an increase of six patients from
the initial FSIS report. Those sickened range in age from 15 to 88 and reside in Lapeer,
Genesee, Isabella, and Sanilac counties. Their llness onset dates range from July 18-30.
The Michigan Departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture and Rural
Development said the nine case patients ate ground beef traced to McNees Meats and
Wholesale of North Branch. "It is concerning that two-thirds of the confirmed and
probable cases in this outbreak had to be hospitalized," the interim medical director for
MDCH said in the news release. McNees Meats recalled 360 pounds of ground beef
sold in 10-pound bags to restaurants in Armada, Lapeer, and North Branch. The
company also sold ground beef from its own retail store. State authorities said they are
working with local health departments and the FSIS to determine how widely the
products were distributed.
Source: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/nine-e-coli-cases-in-michiganground-beef-outbreak/
24. August 11, WFTS 28 Riverview – (Florida) Sheriff: Men stole 125,000 pounds of
fertilizer. Four employees of Kinder-Morgan Storage Facility, a warehouse company
at the Port of Tampa, Florida, face charges of stealing 125,000 pounds of fertilizer and
then selling it, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. A 42-year-old
terminal manager, a 43-year-old maintenance supervisor, a 50-year-old operations
supervisor, and a 46-year-old employee were arrested. According to a police captain
with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the fertilizer is stored at the warehouse
until the purchaser picks it up. Before that happened, the four men took three
truckloads-full and sold it to Central Florida farmers, he said. It was unclear whether
the farms knew they were purchasing stolen fertilizer. The suspects made in the vicinity
of $20,000. An undercover deputy purchased the fertilizer from the four men. The
police lieutenant said he was confident the fertilizer was not being sold to people who
intended to use it as part of any explosive device. According to a spokesperson for
Kinder-Morgan, the company is cooperating with the investigation and is looking at
their internal procedures to prevent this from happening in the future, as well as seeing
if it has happened before. All four men face grand theft charges. The terminal manager
also faces a charge of trafficking in stolen property.
Source: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_tampa/sheriff:-men-stole125,000-pounds-of-fertilizer
For more stories, see items 1 and 3
[Return to top]
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Water Sector
See items 1, 3, 8, and 48
[Return to top]
Public Health and Healthcare Sector
Nothing to report
[Return to top]
Government Facilities Sector
25. August 10, The Business Age – (International) Russia destroys half of its chemical
weapons. Russia has destroyed more than half of its stockpile of chemical weapons,
and the remainder would be gone by 2015, a senior official said August 10. Some
21,000 tons of chemical weapons have been destroyed, the deputy director of the
federal special construction agency, told the Xinhua news agency. In line with
international obligations, Russia must destroy 40,000 tons of chemical weapons by
2015, said the deputy director, who is responsible for construction of facilities for
destroying such weapons. There are at least six chemical weapons destruction facilities
in Russia. Russia was supposed to have destroyed all such weapons by April 29, 2012.
But it postponed the deadline to 2015 due to a lack of funding.
Source: http://www.thebusinessage.com/2011/08/10/russia-destroys-half-of-itschemical-weapons/
26. August 10, Assoicated Press – (Wisconsin) Computers hacked at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Social Security numbers at risk. A computer system at the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been hacked and bugged with malicious
software, putting at risk the Social Security numbers of 75,000 students, faculty and
staff. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports investigators have found no evidence
that data was viewed or stolen. The school is sending letters to those potentially
affected. The university vice chancellor said August 10 the computer attack may have
been an attempt by someone to get a look at university research. On May 25, university
technicians found someone had installed malicious software on a university server that
housed software that managed confidential information. He said the school is not sure
how long the malicious program was in the system before being discovered and
disabled.
Source:
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/a969b85b209e444db7ddfee26af1cd4c/WI-University-Computers-Hacked/
27. August 10, Associated Press – (North Carolina) NC Marines say 6,400 gallons of fuel
recovered. Workers at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville,
North Carolina have recovered 6,400 gallons of fuel that leaked from a pipeline, a
- 12 -
spokeswoman said August 10. The Marines said a U.S. Coast Guard unit from
Wilmington helped clean up by providing an extra 500 feet of oil-absorbing boom to
the air station. It was expected to take several days for workers at New River to clean
up the estimated 8,000 to 10,000-gallon spill. A Corps spokeswoman said the leak was
discovered August 9 in a pipeline that transferred fuel from a storage area to refueling
tanks. The fuel was cut off and gates in a nearby ditch were closed to contain the spill,
she said. Environmental management officials said the spill will have no effect on local
drinking water because there are no drinking water wells near there. The fuel is used by
the installation's helicopters, which include CH-53 Sea Stallion transports, AH-I Super
Cobra attack helicopters and UH-1N Huey transports. With 15,750 active duty military,
family members, contractors and civilian employees, as well as 212 aircraft, the
installation is one of the service's largest aviation centers on the East Coast.
Source: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NC-Marines-say-6-400-gallons-offuel-recovered-1828229.php
For more stories, see items 7, 13, 28, and 33
[Return to top]
Emergency Services Sector
28. August 10, Ansonia Valley Independent Sentinel – (Connecticut) Guns stolen from
Ansonia fire chief's office. Ansonia, Connecticut's fire chief has been placed on
administrative leave after two of his guns were stolen from the fire chief’s office, the
mayor said. The fire chief’s office is city property. The guns were stored there without
permission, the mayor said in a prepared statement August 10. The guns — a Smith and
Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a Smith and Wesson 5.56 caliber rifle —
were among several items stolen. The office is located at the public works complex off
North Division Street. The burglary was reported at 7:54 a.m. August 9, when public
works employees arrived at the building and noticed a back door had been forced open.
The building is shared by the public works department (DPW) and five Ansonia Fire
Department chiefs. Nothing was reported missing from the DPW. In addition to the two
guns, $6,000 worth of fire equipment was stolen including a Scott air pack, five
scanners, a portable radio charger, five sets of earmuffs, and five sets of safety glasses.
Source:
http://valley.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/guns_stolen_from_ans
onia_fire_chiefs_office
29. August 10, National Journal – (National) FCC may create standards for emergency
text programs. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman has long
said he wants the public to be able to contact emergency officials by text message, and
August 10 he announced plans to establish technical standards that could govern these
programs. The agency will launch a rulemaking proceeding next month to create
technical standards for wireless companies and public safety agencies who offer socalled "Next Generation 911" services. The goal is to enable the public to contact
emergency officials through their cell phones, sending texts, photos, and video. Efforts
to make that possible are occurring on a piecemeal basis in communities across the
- 13 -
country. The FCC thinks it can speed that process and make it safer by examining
possible technical standards for wireless carriers and emergency agencies who launch
these services. Some communities have set up trial programs. The Durham Emergency
Communication Center in North Carolina already accepts 911 text messages from
Verizon Wireless customers. The FCC said the services could be available across the
country in 5 to 10 years.
Source: http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/08/fcc-may-create-standardsfor-e.php
30. August 10, Northwest Cable News – (National) Washington among first states to
receive Homeland Response Force. Washington National Guard's new Homeland
Response Force is training crews for a certification evaluation the week of August 8.
The training is held at the Spokane Readiness Center. The force consists of 560 citizensoldiers and airmen trained in responding to the effects of chemical, biological,
radiological, nuclear, and explosive events. Training includes detection and
decontamination, medical assistance, search and extraction, command and control, and
security operations. The new force added 60 full-time positions within the state’s
National Guard. The soldiers will be able to respond within 6 to 12 hours of receiving
an order from the governor. The force will be able to respond to major events in other
states if called upon by the Washington governor or the U.S. President. Washington
State and Ohio are the first states in the nation to field Homeland Response Forces.
Source:
http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=127485728&fPath=/news/local&fDomain=10222
31. August 10, WTVT 13 Tampa – (Colorado; Florida; Georgia) Sibling suspects nabbed
following Colorado chase. A week-long nationwide manhunt for three fugitive
siblings from Pasco County, Florida ended along a remote stretch of Colorado interstate
after the trio was arrested at the end of a chase. Colorado State Patrol troopers took the
three siblings into custody after car chase and crash in the town of Walsenburg. The
trio is suspected of shooting at a Zephyrhills, Florida police officer during a high-speed
chase August 2, and later robbing a bank in Valdosta, Georgia. The trio did not
surrender peacefully August 10. They were reported to be at a campground in Colorado
City, but when deputies caught up with them at a nearby gas station, they sped off. The
subsequent chase continued for about 20 miles on southbound Interstate 25 until
troopers deployed "stop sticks" and the vehicle crashed. The trio fired guns at their
pursuers during the chase, officials said, and continued to flee even after their wrecked
car came to rest atop a guardrail. One of the suspects allegedly pointed a gun at a
Walsenburg officer as she ran. The officer fired one shot at her, hitting her in the leg.
Another sibling took off running and was caught about 10 minutes later. No law
enforcement officers were hurt during the chase or the arrests.
Source: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/doughertysibling-suspects-arrest-081011
32. August 10, WTVT 13 Tampa – (Florida) Deputy suspended for letting suspect
escape. A Tampa Bay, Florida-area sheriff's deputy has accepted a 5-day suspension
for allowing a DUI suspect to escape from her patrol car and drive off, eventually
killing a motorcyclist. A report released August 9 recommends that the Pasco County
- 14 -
deputy be suspended for violating prisoner custody and transport regulations. The
report said the 23-year-old deputy left a window of her patrol car down while the
suspect was in custody in the back seat after a May 10 traffic stop. Deputies said the
21-year-old suspect got one hand free of her cuffs and escaped, speeding off in her
pickup truck and injuring the deputy when she tried to stop her. Deputies said the
suspect drove through a red light at an intersection and killed a man riding a
motorcycle. She is now charged with his murder.
Source: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/deputysuspended-for-letting-suspect-escape-081011
33. August 10, WVEC 13 Norfolk – (Virginia) Spotty 911 service for some Eastern Shore
Verizon customers. Some Virginia Eastern Shore Verizon customers had no 911
service August 10. A spokesman with Eastern Shore of Virginia 911 said the sporadic
problems in Northampton and Accomack counties occurred in the early morning hours.
"The problems Verizon is experiencing with 9-1-1 service is impacting wire-line and
wireless 9-1-1 calls," he told WVEC.com. In Williamsburg, an e-mail from the city
said a Verizon outage on the DSL line affected the Prince George Street parking
garage. That took down the automated payment system, so parking was free in that
garage until repairs were made. Verizon said the problem was fixed later August 10.
Source: http://www.wvec.com/home/No-911-service-for-some-Eastern-Shore-Verizoncustomers-127442973.html
[Return to top]
Information Technology Sector
34. August 11, Help Net Security – (International) Multiple vulnerabilities in Symantec
Endpoint Protection Manager. Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in
Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager that can be exploited by malicious people to
conduct cross-site scripting and request forgery attacks, according to Secunia. They
include: Input appended to the URL after /console/apps/sepm is not properly sanitized
before being returned to the user; Input passed via the "token" parameter to
portal/Help.jsp is not properly sanitized before being returned to the user; The portal
application allows users to perform certain actions via HTTP requests without
performing any validity checks to verify the requests. The vulnerabilities are confirmed
in version 11.0.6 Maintenance Patch 2 (11.0.6200.754). Other versions may also be
affected.
Source: http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=11433
35. August 11, Softpedia – (International) Fix Windows 7 SP1 Intermittent Crashes. A
fix from Microsoft Support is designed to resolve stop error message "0x0000007E"
that causes Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 computers to crash
intermittently. It appears Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2008
R2 SP1 can also crash intermittently. According to Microsoft, the full error message
reads: “Stop 0x0000007E (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4) "SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED” Microsoft said the issue
usually occurs on a file server, and does not occur when Server Message Block (SMB)
- 15 -
Version 2 is disabled. "This issue occurs because of a race condition that is triggered
when a NULL lease handle is accessed after the lease spinlock is released,” Microsoft
noted. The company is not providing a manual workaround or an update. The plan is to
integrate KB 2528614 hotfix into Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows 7 and Windows
Server 2008 R2.
Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Fix-Windows-7-SP1-Intermittent-Crashesquot-0x0000007E-quot-216340.shtml
36. August 10, Softpedia – (International) Critical updates available for Flash Media
Server, Photoshop CS5 and RoboHelp. Adobe has released security updates for Flash
Media Server, Photoshop CS5 and RoboHelp to address critical security vulnerabilities
in the products. The flaw patched in Flash Media Server (FMS) can be exploited by an
attacker to achieve a denial of service condition and prevent legitimate users from
accessing content. A memory corruption vulnerability that can lead to arbitrary code
execution was also addressed in Adobe Photoshop CS5 and CS5.1. It can be exploited
by tricking victims into opening maliciously-crafted GIF files. Finally, a cross-site
scripting (XSS) weakness was identified and patched in RoboHelp, Adobe's help
authoring tool. The flaw (CVE-2011-2133) can be exploited by opening a speciallycrafted URL. Patches have been released for RoboHelp 9 (versions 9.0.1.232 and
earlier), RoboHelp 8, RoboHelp Server 9 and RoboHelp Server 8 for Windows. Adobe
has also released critical security updates for Flash Player and Shockwave Player that
users are advised to install as soon as possible.
Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Critical-Updates-Available-for-Flash-MediaServer-Photoshop-CS5-and-RoboHelp-216229.shtml
For more stories, see items 5, 9, and 26
Internet Alert Dashboard
To 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.gov
Information on IT information sharing and analysis can be found at the IT ISAC (Information Sharing and
Analysis Center) Web site: https://www.it-isac.org
[Return to top]
Communications Sector
See items 13, 29, and 33
[Return to top]
Commercial Facilities Sector
37. August 11, Chicago Sun Times Media Wire – (Illinois) Crews battle three-alarm fire
in Franklin Park vacant motel. Firefighters continued to battle a three-alarm fire
inFranklin Park, Illinois nearly 4 hours after flames engulfed a vacant motel August 11.
- 16 -
Emergency crews started fighting the fire before 2:30 a.m., a Franklin Park police
dispatcher said. Mannheim Road was closed between Grand and Belmont Avenues
while crews fought the fire, the dispatcher said. The well-involved fire burned in a
vacant Super 8 Motel and sent firefighters into defensive mode, according to dispatch
reports. Teams from the Chicago office of the Red Cross provided refreshments to
firefighters and other first responders, according to the agency’s official Twitter feed.
Source: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/franklin-park-fire-vacantmotel-three-alarm-blaze-burn-firefighters-20110811
38. August 10, Detroit Free Press – (Michigan) Suspected arson fire at Detroit
apartment building injures 5 people. Five Detroit, Michigan residents were taken to
area hospitals after what investigators said was an arson fire set in an apartment
building on the city’s east side August 9. Detroit Fire Department arson investigators
said the fire was intentionally set just before 7 p.m. in the multifamily building. “It was
started by some flammable liquids,” he said. ”The fire remains open until they speak
with some of the burn victims.” Some of the residents jumped from the building to
escape the fire, according to an investigator. All of the victims were expected to
survive, he added.
Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20110810/NEWS01/110810022/Suspectedarson-fire-Detroit-apartment-building-injures-5-people?odyssey=nav|head
39. August 10, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel – (Florida) Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale
remains evacuated Wednesday after electrical fire. All 24 floors of the luxury hotel
Ritz Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida remained empty and its occupants relocated
August 10 after an electrical fire forced an evacuation the night before, a hotel
spokeswoman said. The hotel will not be taking reservations until August 13 unless the
electrical problem is repaired before then, according to the spokeswoman. "We're on
generators, the hotel is currently without hot water and air conditioning," she said
August 10. Guests and employees evacuated the hotel about 9:30 p.m. August 9 after
the fire started in the electrical vault room on the hotel's ground floor. "The guests were
outside for the duration that the fire department was on the scene assessing the
situation," the spokeswoman said. Hotel employees then drove the guests to other
hotels. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Florida Power & Light workers
were at the hotel August 10 investigating and repairing the damaged electrical
equipment, the spokeswoman said.
Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/ritz-carlton-fort-lauderdale-remainsevacuated-wednesday-after-1722126.html
40. August 10, WIS 10 Columbia – (South Carolina) Two grenades found inside
apartment complex. Cleaning crews found two explosive devices in a soldier's empty
Columbia, South Carolina apartment August 10. Around 10 a.m., crews from the
Richland County Bomb Squad and the Columbia-Richland Fire Department were
called to the Polo Village Apartments when a crew cleaning out an apartment held by a
former soldier stationed at Fort Jackson found a training grenade. The bomb squad
detonated that device, but around 11:30 a.m., the cleaning crew found a second
grenade. Emergency crews, including Fort Jackson's Explosive Ordinance Disposal
team went back to the complex and detonated the second grenade. Officials have not
- 17 -
said if any charges will be filed.
Source: http://www.wistv.com/story/15243372/crews-find-two-explosive-devices-atapartment-complex
For another story, see item 44
[Return to top]
National Monuments and Icons Sector
41. August 11, Associated Press – (Wisconsin) Marijuana farm found in national forest
worth $1M. Ashland County, Wisconsin authorities warned residents August 11 not to
pick up any hitchhikers as they continue to search for four suspects involved in a largescale marijuana growing operation in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in
northern Wisconsin. The county sheriff said nearly 10,000 marijuana plants with an
estimated street value of $1 million were destroyed in the bust. He said it was the
biggest drug bust of its kind in the county. "We still have law enforcement searching,"
the sheriff noted. "Two suspects didn't even have shoes they left the camp so quickly.
They're on foot in a vast forest area." The area is uninhabited and officials had to come
in on foot and eradicate the drugs with helicopters, the sheriff noted. One man was
arrested August 10 at the scene in a remote part of the 1.5-million-acre forest, 25 miles
northwest of Park Falls. Authorities said they were alerted to the marijuana operation
after a tip from a hunter in November. The sprawling site had thousands of plants
hidden over several acres and included a camp for the people cultivating the marijuana
as well as loaded firearms when it was raided by about 175 law enforcement officials
from 22 agencies.
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-potfarmwisconsin,0,6801079.story
42. August 11, Associated Press – (Virginia; North Carolina) Visible from space: Great
Dismal Swamp fire grows. A wildfire raging in the Great Dismal Swamp National
Wildlife Refuge near Suffolk, Virginia grew to 5,700 acres August 11 as it spread from
Virginia into North Carolina, spewing enormous plumes of smoke visible in satellite
photographs taken from space. A National Parks Service (NPS) information officer said
the blaze is the swamp's largest in recent history. It is expected to continue to grow,
battled by nearly 160 firefighters from around the country whose ranks are also still
growing. Firefighters doused flames with water and worked to create a "fuel break"
around the perimeter by clearing fallen tree limbs and other materials that would further
feed the fire. The information officer said the planned containment area is 20,180 acres,
or 17 percent of the combined acreage of the refuge and Great Dismal Swamp State
Park in North Carolina. The firefighters are backed by four helicopters. No homes or
other buildings are threatened by the fire, she said, but the thick plumes of smoke have
created unhealthy air. A spokesman for the North Carolina Division of Air Quality, said
the smoke "is affecting a pretty broad area of the northeastern part of the state." North
Carolina was most affected by the smoke August 11 because the wind was blowing
from the north. A meteorologist for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
said communities along the state border will be affected August 12 when the wind
- 18 -
shifts from the east. Refuge officials said lighting started the fire, which was reported
August 4. The fire has spread relentlessly because of dry conditions, wind, and an
abundance of fuel left on the ground from Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and from a 2008
fire. The NPS information officer said the fire could continue to smolder for weeks.
Source: http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/08/11/2326441/great-dismal-swamp-firegrows.html
43. August 10, New York Times – (New York) Statue of Liberty will close for a year to
further improve safety. The Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York needs
a $27.25 million renovation for additional safety improvements the Interior Secretary
promised in 2009. Officials said the work, which is expected to take a year, could not
begin sooner because they did not finish the planning and arrange the financing until a
few months ago. The Park Service said the project involves updating the statue’s
mechanical and electrical systems, along with its fire-suppression equipment. The two
open staircases will be separated from each other, and one will get walls, increasing
safety. The elevator that runs from the ground floor to the fifth floor will be replaced
and will ascend and descend in a new, fire-resistant shaft.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/nyregion/statue-of-liberty-will-close-fora-year-to-further-improve-safety.html?_r=1
44. August 10, Bangor Daily News – (Maine) Suspected serial arsonist arrested Down
East. A 37-year-old Perry, Maine man was arrested and charged with five counts of
arson August 4 after he attempted to set several wildfires Down East in July, the Maine
Forest Service said. Arson fires have been a problem for the Down East area since
November 2009, particularly in the Marion Township, Dennysville, Pembroke, and
Perry areas. While the suspect is being charged only for fires allegedly set in July 2011,
forest rangers suspect he may have set other wildfires in the last year and a half. The
suspect allegedly set seven small fires in late July in remote forested areas in
Washington County. The fires reportedly were intended to create large wildfires, but
due to prompt responses from the Maine Forest Service and fire departments from East
Machias and Dennysville, each fire did not burn more than one-tenth of an acre, a
forest service fire prevention specialist said. The locations of the fires were on private
and state-owned forestland, including fires that were set on land owned by major
landowners in the forest service’s Downeast District. A task force was initiated in late
2010 in direct response to the series of wildfires. The group consisted of members of
the Maine Forest Service, the state fire marshal’s office, and the Washington County
District Attorney’s office.
Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/08/10/news/downeast/suspected-serialarsonist-arrested-down-east/
45. August 10, Spokane Spokesman-Review – (Washington) 90-acre blaze reported on
Colville Forest. Fire crews battled steep terrain, gusty winds and heavy timber in a fire
that burnt 90 acres as of late August 10 on Rogers Mountain, five miles west of
Aladdin, Washington, in the Colville National Forest. Interagency fire crews, with the
assistance of aircraft, have checked a portion of the fire’s progress southwest of the
South Fork of Rogers Creek, and put firelines around about 60 percent of the fire, a
forest spokesman said. Officials estimated they will be able to contain the fire by
- 19 -
August 12. The fire is under investigation. It was reported August 9 and is burning in
heavy logging slash and has been putting up a visible smoke column, the spokesman
said. Officials said travelers on County Highway 9425 will encounter heavy traffic
because of firefighting vehicles.
Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/aug/10/25-acre-blaze-reportedcolville-forest/?prefetch=1
[Return to top]
Dams Sector
46. August 11, Examiner.com – (National) Two-day delay on change to Missouri River
releases. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers delayed the lowering of releases from the
Gavins Point Dam, just west of Yankton, South Dakota August 11. The Corps said it
will cut releases from 150,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) starting August 18, 2 days
later than previously announced. Officials said they plan to take every precaution to get
excess water out of the 6 upstream reservoirs before the the spring of 2012. Those
reservoirs were above rated capacity –- at “the razors edge,” as the Corps put it –- early
in the summer. Gavins Point is farthest downstream of the six dams and the one where
releases most directly affect river levels in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.
From August 18 to 30, Gavins Point will be cut from 160,000 cfs –- easily the all-time
high –- to 90,000 cfs, which is still far higher than any releases before 2011.
Source: http://www.examiner.net/news/x1852608437/Two-day-delay-on-change-toMissouri-River-releases
47. August 11, Jamestown Sun – (North Dakota) 1,800 cfs through October. The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers sent out an updated release plan August 10 for the
Jamestown and Pipestem dams in North Dakota that calls for high releases for another
2 months, reflecting the recent heavy rains. “We plan to continue the combined releases
of 1,800 cubic feet per second (cfs),” said the hydraulic engineer for the Corps. ”But
we are getting feedback from other agencies about other plans.” Levels of both the
Jamestown and Pipestem dams are rising after heavy rains in the northern drainage of
the rivers. The Jamestown Reservoir is currently at 1447.5 feet above sea level and is
expected to rise 2.5 feet before cresting in late August. This is 1.3 feet below the crest
in May during the spring runoff. The Pipestem Dam is currently at 1485.3 feet above
mean sea level, and is expected to crest at 1486 feet in mid-August. This is less than a
foot below the crest of this spring. One option is to increase releases above 1,800 cfs
but stay within a level that would not require dike construction downstream. “Any sort
of release above 1,800 cfs causes concerns downriver,” the engineer said. ”But it would
get the water evacuated sooner.” He added that combined releases of 2,100 to 2,200 cfs
were under discussion. A third option involves continuing releases at between 100 and
300 cfs through the winter.
Source: http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/141850/
48. August 10, Anderson Independent Mail – (South Carolina) Judge orders removal of
top of shoal at dam. A U.S. district judge ordered Schlumberger Technology Corp.
August 10 to step up its efforts to restore a gorge in northern Pickens County, South
- 20 -
Carolina. Twelve Mile Creek, whose cleanup has been the subject of a 5-year court
case, flows through a gorge near the village of Cateechee that until recent months was
largely flooded because of the construction early in the 20th century of two dams.
Those dams — Woodside I and Woodside II — are being demolished as part of a
ruling against Schlumberger over the pollution of the watershed. Polychlorinated
biphenyl, a common industrial coolant used until the 1970s, built up in sediments along
Twelve Mile Creek and worked its way downstream into Hartwell Lake, prompting
fish-consumption warnings over the past 30 years. Schlumberger owns the site where
the chemical came from. Over the past 2 years, Schlumberger removed tons of polluted
sediment that built up behind the dams. Since the first of the two dams was removed
this past spring, a new shoal has formed above the second, still partly standing dam.
Schlumberger contractors are using this shoal, flattened, shored up and rising about 10
feet over the waterline, as a roughly half-mile access road to the dam. With their work
soon to be finished, Schlumberger officials had wanted to leave the flattened shoal in
place, minus the top 6 inches. Representatives of federal and state environmental
agencies petitioned the judge the week of August 1 to force Schlumberger to remove
the entire shoal, essentially removing tons of mud down to the bedrock. In his order,
the judge said the shoal is a natural byproduct of freeing up water flows down Twelve
Mile Creek, but noted Schlumberger must still remove the top 12 inches.
Source: http://www.independentmail.com/news/2011/aug/10/judge-orders-removaltop-shoal-dam/
[Return to top]
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DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report Contact Information
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their Web page at www.us-cert.gov.
Department of Homeland Security Disclaimer
The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a non-commercial publication intended to educate and inform
personnel engaged in infrastructure protection. Further reproduction or redistribution is subject to original copyright
restrictions. DHS provides no warranty of ownership of the copyright, or accuracy with respect to the original source
material.
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