TEXAS HOMELAND SECURITY STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2025 LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR Fellow Texans: Over the past five years, we have experienced a wide range of homeland security threats and hazards, from a global pandemic that threatens Texans’ health and economic well-being to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and other natural disasters to the tragic mass shootings that claimed innocent lives in Sutherland Springs, Santa Fe, El Paso, and Midland-Odessa. We also recall the multi-site bombing campaign in Austin, the cybersecurity attack on over 20 local agencies, a border security crisis that overwhelmed federal capabilities, actual and threatened violence in our cities, and countless other incidents that tested the capabilities of our first responders and the resilience of our communities. In addition, Texas continues to see significant threats from international cartels, gangs, domestic terrorists, and cyber criminals. In this environment, it is essential that we actively assess and manage risks and work together as a team, with state and local governments, the private sector, and individuals, to enhance our preparedness and protect our communities. The Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2021-2025 lays out Texas’ long-term vision to prevent and respond to attacks and disasters. It will serve as a guide in building, sustaining, and employing a wide variety of homeland security capabilities. As we build upon the state’s successes in implementing our homeland security strategy, we must be prepared to make adjustments based on changes in the threat landscape. By fostering a continuous process of learning and improving, we can work together to ensure that Texas is employing the most effective and innovative tactics to keep our communities safe. While we cannot be certain what challenges the next five years will bring, I know Texas will rise to meet them, and together we will continue to strengthen the security and resiliency of our great state. Sincerely, Greg Abbott Governor of Texas TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 2 Section I: Purpose and Principles ............................................................................................... 3 Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Vision........................................................................................................................................... 4 Focus ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Coordination ................................................................................................................................ 4 Principles ..................................................................................................................................... 5 State Planning Architecture ......................................................................................................... 6 Core Capabilities ......................................................................................................................... 8 Section II: The Texas Homeland Security Environment ......................................................... 9 Homeland Security Risk .............................................................................................................. 9 State Description........................................................................................................................ 10 Critical Infrastructure ................................................................................................................ 15 Threats and Hazards .................................................................................................................. 20 Summary: Texas in 2025 .......................................................................................................... 24 Section III: Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................. 25 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 25 Evaluation Plan .......................................................................................................................... 25 Goal 1: Prevent .......................................................................................................................... 26 Goal 2: Protect ........................................................................................................................... 37 Goal 3: Mitigate ......................................................................................................................... 56 Goal 4: Respond ........................................................................................................................ 64 Goal 5: Recover ......................................................................................................................... 86 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 91 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2021-2025 is the state’s framework for establishing homeland security priorities and focusing its broad range of efforts to develop, sustain, and employ homeland security capabilities. It builds upon the foundation established in the Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2015-2020 and includes many adjustments based on progress made in implementing that strategy and changes in Texas’ risk landscape. Securing Texas and enhancing its resilience to incidents that do occur requires close coordination among jurisdictions at all levels. This strategy applies to state and local agencies, and Texas also encourages and recognizes the critical importance of voluntary private sector cooperation. Effective implementation will require active monitoring, assessment, and management of homeland security risk, with corresponding adjustments to our priorities and activities. Section I of the strategy explains its purpose and scope, establishing the state’s vision for homeland security and the fundamental principles that will guide our actions. Section II summarizes the breadth and magnitude of the homeland security challenges facing Texas. It describes the state’s homeland security environment and discusses threats and hazards, vulnerabilities, potential consequences, and notable trends. Section III establishes the Goals, Objectives, and Priority Actions that indicate our homeland security priorities over the next five years. It includes five Goals (one for each mission area of Prevent, Protect, Mitigate, Respond, and Recover), 25 Objectives, and 123 Priority Actions. Texas Homeland Security Goals 2021-2025 Goal 1: Prevent Prevent terrorist attacks and organized criminal activity in Texas. Goal 2: Protect Reduce the state's vulnerability to terrorist and criminal attacks and natural and technological disasters. Minimize the impact of terrorist and criminal attacks and natural and Goal 3: Mitigate technological disasters through proactive mitigation planning and programs. Increase the capability of the state's response system to minimize Goal 4: Respond damage and loss of life from terrorist and criminal attacks and natural and technological disasters. Ensure rapid, effective, and comprehensive community recovery Goal 5: Recover following terrorist or criminal attacks and natural or technological disasters. 2 SECTION I: PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES SCOPE The Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan (THSSP) 2015-2020 provided an overarching framework for organizing the state’s efforts to enhance its security and resiliency. Texas has been effective in implementing it over the past five years despite facing a wide variety of catastrophic incidents and other challenges. This document, the Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2021- 2025, supersedes the previous strategy. Given the enduring nature of its principles and intent, the overall structure and some areas of this document are unchanged from the previous version; however, it has been comprehensively updated to reflect changes in the risk environment, progress in implementing the previous strategy, organizational changes, new priorities, and other factors. This strategy is intended to serve as a guide for managing homeland security risk in Texas by developing and sustaining capabilities, planning for their employment, and coordinating action at the state, regional, local, tribal, and private sector levels. It fulfills requirements established in Chapter 421 (Homeland Security) of the Texas Government Code and is aligned with federal strategic guidance including the National Security Strategy, National Preparedness Goal, National Planning Frameworks, and relevant Presidential Directives. While it establishes priorities that should be addressed through use of homeland security-related grant funding from multiple federal programs, these priorities can also be addressed in a number of additional ways, including state and local appropriations. Homeland security is inherently a multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional effort. The THSSP is a statewide strategy, with applicability for state agencies, regional organizations, local and tribal governments, private