http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/03/17/daily62.html?f=et73Security increased, feds investigate threats on nuclear plantMike Sunnucks and Diane Arthur The Business Journal
Security continues to intensify at the Palo Verde nuclear plant as federal authorities investigate leads related to a possible terrorist strike against the facility.
Gov. Janet Napolitano deployed armed National Guard troops to the plant earlier this week at the request of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.
Today, Ridge and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham confirmed they are investigating possible terrorist threats against the plant which is operated by Arizona Public Service Co.
The FBI also is involved in the investigation. Sen. Jon Kyl has been meeting with FBI counter-terrorism officials regarding potential threats to the plant and was told precautions are being taken and investigations are underway.
Palo Verde is the nation's largest nuclear power plant and sits approximately 50 miles west of Phoenix.
APS spokesman Jim McDonald would not comment on specific new threats to the company's nuclear facility. But McDonald did say the company's interactions with state and federal Homeland Security officials have intensified over the past two days.
Other state and federal officials involved in securing the plant also would not get into specifics about the threats.
"We don't discuss intelligence reports or actions taken in response to intelligence reports," said William Beecher, director of public affairs for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The NRC oversees nuclear plants nationwide and coordinates security efforts with federal anti-terrorism agencies.
Napolitano and state Homeland Security Director Chuck Blanchard have said several times this week that the nuclear plant is secure.
"We're still not going to discuss any specific threats," said gubernatorial spokeswoman Kris Mayes.
Mayes said the governor has not changed her schedule in response to international or homeland security situations.
McDonald said the biggest threat to the plant is not some catastrophic event but having it shut down due to threat, thus hurting regional power supplies and the economy.
The plant provides power to several states, including Arizona and California.
Sen. John McCain asked Abraham at a committee hearing this morning about Palo Verde security and received assurances that the protective actions are being taken.
McCain spokeswoman Rebecca Hanks said the senator's concerns stemmed from a story in this morning's Washington Times saying the plant was a terrorist target.
© 2003 American City Business Journals Inc.
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/03/17/daily61.html?f=et73Virginia governor, Portland, D.C. mayors cancel Ariz. tripsMike Sunnucks The Business Journal
The start of the Iraq war and concerns about terrorism have resulted in the governor of Virginia and the mayors of Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore. canceling trips to Phoenix.
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, Portland Mayor Vera Katz and D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams were scheduled to be in Arizona today and tomorrow to meet with Major League Baseball officials about bringing a team to their respective jurisdictions.
But the elected officials scuttled their travel plans amidst worries about terrorism on U.S. soil and the need to take care of homeland security needs in their respective jurisdictions.
Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said the decision not to travel to Arizona was made yesterday after consulting with federal Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.
Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Portland are in the running for a baseball team if baseball owners opt to relocate and sell the financially struggling Montreal Expos. Other representatives of those jurisdictions did make the trip to Phoenix to meet with league officials.