WHEREAS, New Jersey, the most densely populated State in the nation,
has an unmatched array of critical transportation, utility, petrochemical,
pharmaceutical, manufacturing and entertainment infrastructure; and
WEHREAS, the State's industrial and civil infrastructure commingles
with dense population centers and high traffic transportation corridors;
and
WHEREAS, New Jersey functions as a global gateway for people and products
with tens of millions of people passing through New Jersey on their way
to global destinations and vast quantities of goods moving through the
State to and from markets throughout the nation, Canada, Europe, Africa
and the Far East; and
WHEREAS, a terrorist incident disrupting New Jersey's industrial and
transportation infrastructure or critical utilities would severely affect
both national and international economic stability as well as public safety
and international travel resulting in the loss of billions of dollars
to the world economy; and
WHEREAS, numerous analyses have indicated that Port Newark-Port Elizabeth,
the most active port on the eastern seaboard with plans to further increase
throughput, is vulnerable to terrorist actions including attacks from
weapons of mass destruction concealed in containers; and
WHEREAS, safeguarding freight shipments will require a comprehensive
array of integrated technologies ranging from radio frequency identification
(RFID) tagging at the item level, through wireless container tracking,
to advanced sensory technology for inspection; and
WHEREAS, each day New Jersey's public transportation system including
buses, light rail, passenger trains and ferries transports millions of
people; and
WHEREAS, these transportation systems are likely targets for terrorist
attacks and as such demand creative solutions to the challenge of safeguarding
passengers; and
WHEREAS, the scale of response that is required to protect New Jersey
and the nation against the threat of domestic terrorism will require all
of the efficiencies and effectiveness of modern information, communications,
materials technology and systems integration; and
WHEREAS, the challenge of utilizing science and technology to reduce
New Jersey's and the nation's vulnerability to terrorist attacks is complex
and demands expedited development, adaptation, modification, and merging
of new and existing technologies; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey and the nation need an unbiased, expert and effective
systematic process for testing and evaluating proposed technology-based
solutions and approaches based on performance, not marketing or speculation,
in order to select the most appropriate technology, process or approach
from among the competing entities with a high degree of confidence as
to effectiveness and interoperability; and
WHEREAS, at present there is no way to assure that individual pieces
of technology purchased at municipal, county, State and federal levels
will be able to be integrated to create a comprehensive web of protection;
and
WHEREAS, New Jersey Institute of Technology is the State's Public Technological
Research University and ranks among the top 10 nationally in research
volume among universities of engineering and science; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has a proven record
of State service, responding in an effective manner to public policy needs;
and
WHEREAS, NJIT has demonstrated an ability to partner with all relevant
entities, including other higher education institutions, State military
bases, and State agencies, including the Domestic Security Preparedness
Task Force for which NJIT chairs the Infrastructure Advisory Committee's
College and University Research Facilities Sector; and
WHEREAS, NJIT has already executed working agreements with Picatinny
Arsenal and Fort Monmouth, installations that I have previously designated
as "New Jersey Centers for Homeland Defense Technologies and Security
Readiness"; and
WHEREAS, NJIT is teaming with New Jersey City University to support
first responder training as well as with the University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) that is home to the Center for Biodefense,
and Rutgers-Newark that hosts the Rutgers Center for the Study of Public
Security, researching the areas of terrorism, policing, international
crime, globalization, constitutional rights, law, environmental safety,
business;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, James E. McGreevey, Governor of the State of New
Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT that:
- The Homeland Security Technology Systems Center is created at NJIT
to work in collaboration with State government, serving as consultant
for technology evaluation against objective performance standards and
engaging in prototype deployment of integrated systems for testing, demonstration
and training.
- The Center will direct its activities toward the federally identified
areas of Intelligence and Warning, Border and Transportation Security,
Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets, Emergency Preparedness
and Response, Defending against Catastrophic Threats and Domestic Counter-terrorism.
- Working in collaboration with the State, and in coordination with
the Office of the Attorney General and the Domestic Security Preparedness
Task Force, the Center will:
- Conduct real-world, in-use tests to find the best technology to protect
critical State assets.
- Evaluate and prototype commercial technology products against performance
standards as advisors for State, county, municipal, federal and interstate
agencies.
- Formulate objective performance and interoperability standards consistent
with long-range opportunities for technology development.
- Develop comprehensive demonstration and training programs to ensure
rapid uptake of systems technology by all relevant users.
- Assemble teams to address specific technology development needs that
are local to New Jersey and needs that may not receive adequate attention
at a national level.
- Foster collaboration, coordination and management of multi-organizational
grant applications and partnerships involving technology development programs
that engage State agencies, New Jersey colleges and universities, military
installations and private sector firms.
- Enter into Cooperative Research Agreements with interstate agencies,
military installations including Fort Monmouth, Picatinny Arsenal, Lakehurst
Naval Air Base, Fort Dix, McGuire Air Force Base and other federal installations
as appropriate to share facilities, equipment, services, personnel resources
and other cooperation in order to maximize the effectiveness and timeliness
of the evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of technologies
and processes for domestic security.
- The Center will have an Advisory Board of nine members including
the Attorney General, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental
Protection, the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services,
the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, the Adjutant General,
the President of the Board of Public Utilities, the Director of the Office
of Counter Terrorism, the Executive Director of the Commission on Science
and Technology and the Executive Director of the Commission on Higher
Education. The Chair shall be elected by the Board from among the members
of the Board.
- The Center is authorized to call upon any department, office or agency
of State government to provide such information, resources or other assistance
deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities under this Order. Each
department, officer, division and agency of this State is required to
cooperate with the Center and to furnish it with assistance necessary
to accomplish the purposes of this Order.
- This Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 7th day
of June in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand
and Four, and of the Independence of the United
States, the Two Hundred and Twenty-Eighth.
/s/ James E. McGreevey
Governor
[seal]
Attest:
/s/ Michael R. DeCotiis
Chief Counsel to the Governor