Murkowski: Common Sense Solutions and Cooperation Necessary to Protect Energy Infrastructure Against Cyber Threats

WASHINGTON – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to examine opportunities to promote the cybersecurity and resiliency of our nation’s critical energy infrastructure.

“Protecting our nation’s energy infrastructure is critical to maintaining so much of the American way of life,” Murkowski said. “We have repeatedly heard how protection of our nation’s critical assets is a shared responsibility, with federal, state, and private sector partners working together to improve cyber defenses and sharpen responses to cyber attacks.

“While we have legislated to address cybersecurity threats in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the FAST Act, we must determine what the next appropriate steps will be to further identify cyber intrusions and increase resiliency in the event of an attack. We know there is more to be done to improve that collaborative work. And we are alert to the danger that ‘shared responsibility’ can, in practice, be the hardest responsibility to consistently and accountably discharge. These solutions may not require more regulation, but rather more common sense and cooperation.”

Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. In this Congress, she has held a series of hearings focused on cybersecurity, electromagnetic pulse, emerging cyber technologies, and grid security issues at the full committee level.

Archived video of today’s hearing may be found here. Click here and here to view Murkowski’s questions for witnesses.