U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing focused on cybersecurity issues facing water infrastructure in the United States. The committee convened to assess current challenges and explore ways to strengthen protections for water systems, particularly those serving rural communities.
During the hearing, Senator Capito questioned Dr. Scott Simonton of Marshall University’s Institute for Cyber Security about efforts to use circuit riders—specialists who provide expertise to small utilities—to address cybersecurity needs in West Virginia’s water systems. Capito asked, “Dr. Simonton, you highlighted obviously that Marshall University’s Institute for Cyber Security is presently partnering with Anstead, which is […] a very small area, and the Huntington Water System […]. I was interested to hear [about], and I heard this from the rural water utilities folks that came in to see me yesterday from West Virginia, the cybersecurity circuit rider idea through [Department of Agriculture]. So, if you could frame out, just briefly, how valuable circuit riders are in general for physical infrastructure for the smaller systems and then how, as somebody dedicated fully to cyber, [do you believe] a dedicated cyber [expert] would be the best, or somebody who has that enhanced credentialing that could do both on the existing program?”
Dr. Simonton responded by describing ongoing university initiatives: “As far as the circuit rider is concerned, [Marshall] University is already […] moving towards supplying both students to do these things for utilities or others that don’t have that in-house capacity. And of course, also for our national guard units that we’re training, not just in water cyber, but in infrastructure security in general. So, I would see or we would see these circuit riders as dedicated certainly to cybersecurity because that is the need within the utilities. […] And they provide that expertise. They basically become consultants to the various utilities [and] provide the expertise that they don’t already have.”
Capito also emphasized technical assistance needs: “[…] Technical assistance is what all three of you have said you really need. You’re not expecting the one- and two- and three-person utility to be able to meet this challenge on their own. They have to have this assistant. [Could there be] a framework for smaller systems that could then sort of be a plug-and-play [system] […]?”
Simonton explained ongoing development efforts: “That’s what we are trying to develop is this scalable plug-and-play framework. Every system, of course, is going to be different, but the needs are going to be very similar. They’re going to have very similar systems. They’re going to have very similar threats. They’re going to have very similar needs. And so, we’re developing this framework that can apply, not just to water utilities, but across infrastructure. And so again it’s providing that in-house expertise that they don’t have.”
Matt Odermann from North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association discussed unique challenges faced by rural areas: “There’s 282 members of the Association. It’s 97% of the state so it’s significant.” He praised existing support programs: “The Circuit Rider Program is single-handedly the most successful built-up program that I see in our state. It’s mature. It’s well-documented… Those trusted relationships between those systems and state associations are built… if we were able to spin up a technical circuit rider for cybersecurity I imagine uptake on that would be significant.”
Senator Capito raised concerns about workforce shortages and attracting young talent into water sector careers: “I want to talk about workforce challenges because this is something I’ve been interested in and in several bills in the past [I] have put in some availabilities for workforce development… trying to get young people interested in this as a career is… difficult… I know one of our water systems… has used an apprenticeship [program] […]. Have you had any experience with that Mr Dewhirst?”
Scott Dewhirst from Fairfax Water described their approach: “At Fairfax Water we do take a pretty aggressive approach with summer internships… it takes many different types of skillsets and different types of jobs… This gives students a chance to really see what is involved even in cyberspace even in technology space laboratory whatever it may be… We think that’s a great approach…”
In her closing remarks Senator Capito addressed emotional impacts on communities affected by attacks or disruptions: “I’d like to make an additional point as someone who lives in a community that lost their water source through a chemical spill for many weeks… There are a couple things beyond what happens… It becomes a very emotional response… unless they’re crystal clear—and we’ve gone through this with CDC because they were not… begin to take on greater role… whether it’s cyber attack or chemical spill or whatever.
“So if you are able successfully infiltrate a cyber-attack on one of your smaller systems there might be people say ‘oh well only serves 2 500 people doesn’t really matter.’ But what matters lack trust cascading effect every rural community ‘this could be me’… at every level need make sure protections afford larger systems same protections provide smaller…
“[…] I think there’s lot more connectivity here and [a greater] emotional part protecting our rural water systems than really got into today… identify also gap need better data how many attacks we have […] how many where occurring how occurred always good best practices try prevent future attacks.”
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee oversees federal programs related not only to environmental quality but also natural resources and critical infrastructure such as water systems across America; its work includes balancing conservation goals with national needs (source). The committee maintains its administrative base at Senate Dirksen Office Building (source) and handles legislation affecting environmental policy nationwide (source). Shelley Moore Capito currently serves as chair (source), leading collaborative efforts across subcommittees focused on clean air policies,water resources, transportation infrastructure among other topics.
