WASHINGTON, D.C., November 20, 2001 — Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham today hosted Director of the White House Office of Homeland Security Tom Ridge on a tour of some of the counterterrorism technologies developed at the Department of Energy laboratories.
Over two dozen technologies from around the country were on display.
"Department of Energy laboratories are making real contributions to the homeland defense of our country," Secretary Abraham said. "Our world class scientific and engineering facilities and creative researchers have helped make our nation more secure for over 50 years. These same resources have been trained on the threats posed by terrorism for some time and because of this foresight, technologies such as these are in deployment today."
Examples of the technologies displayed included: a holographic imaging system for airport screening; handheld chemical/biological warfare agent detectors; anthrax decontamination foam; an early warning system to detect and identify chemical and biological aerosols released in public spaces; and a national infrastructure simulation and analysis capability to provide authorities guidance on the potential impact of terrorist-related disasters. See attached for more details.
Department of Energy laboratories displaying technologies were: Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Ill.; Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.; Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif.; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif; Los Alamo National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Wash.; and Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.
The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration funds counterterrorism work as part of its national security mission. Some of the technologies were developed for use in fields such as environmental cleanup and can be adapted to counterterrorism applications. Other federal agencies also fund the department's laboratories for counterterrorism research and development.
For more information about NNSA Terrorism Technologies, visit http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases01/novpr/NNSA_Terrorism_Tech.html.
For more information about Laboratory Counterterrorism Exhibits, visit http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases01/novpr/Lab_CounterTerrorism_Exhibits.html.
