FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Senate Republicans Call on Governor Hobbs to Take Action to Protect
Arizona's Water Systems from Cyberattacks
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senate Republicans are calling on Governor Hobbs to take swift action to protect Arizona's critical infrastructure, including Arizona's water and wastewater systems, from adversary nations seeking to unleash harm on the United States, after a disturbing letter released from the White House last month warned state governors of the impending threat of cyberattacks.
In the letter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Security Affairs revealed "disabling cyberattacks" are hitting water systems across the country and have the potential to cause great harm to our citizens' access to safe and clean drinking water. The letter mentions two recent attacks from Iran and China, with the possibility of more on the way, as these systems are "an attractive target for cyberattacks because they are a lifeline critical infrastructure sector but often lack the resources and technical capacity to adopt rigorous cybersecurity practices."
In an effort to safeguard water and wastewater systems from these known threats, the White House is asking state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to identify vulnerabilities and take action to mitigate risks, as well as establish plans to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a cyberattack.
"Water is vital to lives and livelihoods. It's concerning the Governor has yet to share any information with the Legislature, or the public, on this matter. What's even more concerning is at a recent stakeholder meeting on a completely separate issue, a representative from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs expressed to our lawmakers no knowledge of this warning from the White House," said Senate President Warren Petersen. "I encourage her to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our citizens by taking steps to protect Arizona's critical infrastructure from enemy nations who are a known threat to our state and country. This includes signing our legislation crafted specifically to mitigate these threats, such as SB 1403, SB 1340, and SB 1123."
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus