No wonder Joe Biden picked former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy — they’re cut from the same green cloth.
Not only is Granholm a big fan of electric vehicles, she spearheaded passage of a renewable portfolio standard during her second term as governor. That standard required that 10% of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2015 and 25% by 2025.
But the Department of Energy is in charge of much more than touting wind turbines — and the consequences of its misplaced priorities hit home recently.
In her testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on Biden’s FY22 budget request for the agency, she noted the DOE’s effort “to own the global market for clean energy and sustainable technologies.”
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), pointed out that the budget overview lacked any mention of cybersecurity.
“Cyber threats like these are persistent and increasing. As our world becomes more reliant on Internet-connected capabilities and technologies, we know that the cybersecurity challenge in front of us will increase in scope,” as Federal Computer Week reported.
Not a problem, replied Granholm.
“I know from our industry partners that I have spoken to that they are totally focused on it and I am completely committed to getting them, and us the tools and the intelligence and the cyber response that they need to address the threats that are out there.”
The next day, Colonial Pipeline was hit by a cyberattack, causing it to temporarily halt all operations on a major pipeline that delivers roughly 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast.
As the AP reported, the company transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and home heating oil from refineries primarily located on the Gulf Coast through pipelines running from Texas to New Jersey. Experts foresee a rise in gas prices as a result of the hack.
This is not the first time we’ve been hit — the sprawling cyberattack using SolarWinds software which hacked at least nine federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, as well as private companies stretched over months during 2020.
One would think that the top priority of the DOE, on the heels of such a blistering breach, would be cybersecurity.
As Llewellyn King wrote in the Herald, the national labs under the aegis of the DOE are vital in cybersecurity, particularly to assure the integrity of the electric grid and the security of things like Chinese-made transformers and other heavy equipment.
It also oversees the strategic petroleum reserve, and has been charged with facilitating natural gas and oil exports.
Security should be top of mind.
Last Monday, Granholm appeared on Bloomberg TV’s “Balance of Power.” The closing of the nation’s biggest fuel pipeline system at the hands of hackers illustrates how at risk the infrastructure is to cyberattacks, she said.
“It tells you how utterly vulnerable we are. We’re seeing all of these examples of ransomware attacks coming — whether it’s telecommunications or this critical infrastructure. And obviously in my lane I’m very worried about the energy infrastructure.”
Granholm alluded to previous ransomware attacks, so why is the DOE batting cleanup? The Biden administration knew of cyberattacks going in, protecting our pipelines, grids and sensitive information should take precedence over plans to roll out charging stations.
The Boston Herald
