A Comparative Survey of U.S. Data Protection Schemes for Safeguarding Essential Infrastructure Information

Tracy Penn, Legal Counsel, TransCanada

The energy sector functions as a key lifeline for economies around the world. In recent years, the security of energy infrastructure has become a global concern, raising questions regarding the availability and accessibility of detailed infrastructure information. Essential energy infrastructure covers a broad cross section of economic and government activity to include electric powers systems; the chemical and hazardous materials industry; and oil and gas storage and transportation systems. In the United States (“U.S.”), this includes more than 2.5 million miles of pipelines spanning the country and carrying nearly all of the country’s natural gas and approximately 65 percent of hazardous liquids.