(Note: IMHO, this is a topic to watch. Anybody know if this new office has a Website yet?)

Source: http://www.computerworld.com/home/news.nsf/all/9906185y2kcent

Two GOP senators blast federal Y2K plans By Patrick Thibodeau

WASHINGTON -- Federal Y2K preparedness efforts were faulted today by two U.S. senators, who said the Clinton administration has yet to develop a strategy for protecting the nation's infrastructure.

"The administration waited until the eleventh hour to recognize that they have a responsibility to manage this problem," said Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) in a statement today." Congress has provided more than $7 billion for this effort, and they don't have their final emergency plans in place. That's unacceptable."

The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion this week announced a new Information Coordination Center (ICC), which plans to form ties with umbrella groups in industries such as power, telecommunications, transportation and pharmaceuticals (see story).

But according to Thompson, only 15 of the 40 ICC staff positions have been filled, and the ICC hasn't developed a final plan for protecting the infrastructure from year 2000 problems.

Thompson and Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), who heads the Senate's special committee on the year 2000 problem, said their concerns followed an inquiry they made to the ICC on its planning efforts.

But Jack Gribben, spokesman for President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, which formed the ICC, said he didn't believe the criticism was fair. "We are confident that the ICC is going to be useful," he said.

Gribben said the job of the ICC is to collect and coordinate information from the private sector, and not fix year 2000 problems in various industries. "The industry knows best how to respond," he said.

Gribben said the ICC won't have a problem meeting its staffing requirements. He expects that workers from other agencies will be detailed to the ICC.

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), June 20, 1999

Answers

The Administration's final emergency plans are *unacceptable*. (like non-existent?) Jack Gribben whines, "That's not fair. (stomps his little hoof) We're *confident* that the ICC IS going to be useful." (like water in a sieve) "The Industry knows how best to respond." (don't blame us girlie boys when TSHTF, mister. NOBODY'S in charge around here you know!) Stay tuned for another episode of, "All My Children".

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), June 20, 1999.

Did a search on Koskinens site for... Information Coordination Center (ICC)... and this all that popped up:

Press Release:
April 23, 1999
PETER KIND TO HEAD Y2K COUNCIL'S
INFORMATION COORDINATION CENTER

http://www.y2k.gov/new/ 0423PRLS.htm

PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YEAR 2000 CONVERSION
Meeting Minutes
March 11, 1999

http://www.y2k.gov/new/ notes311.htm

[snip]

The Chair reported on the Council's efforts to assure coordination of the various Federal emergency response mechanisms in preparation for the transition to 2000. He introduced Lt. General Peter Kind (USA Ret.), who has come on board as Director of the Y2K Information Coordination Center.

As a final point, the Chair told members that top Y2K officials from across the Washington, DC, area will be meeting at the White House Conference Center during the week of March 15 to discuss their Y2K readiness and the development of region-wide emergency response plans. Representatives of major utilities serving the area will also participate. The Chair announced that the following week, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments will host a Y2K forum at the Ronald Reagan Building focusing on special Y2K challenges facing small business.

[snip--to end]

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 20, 1999.

For some useful, early information on this from January, see this older thread...

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000OYG

"White House Y2K meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21, 1999"

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 20, 1999.

Here's a snip from an article in January:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/19990115_xex_big_white_ho. shtml

[snip]

Over 60 experts from private industry and federal agencies met together to discuss the creation of a the Information Sharing and Assessment Center. ISAC will serve as a clearinghouse for gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information between government agencies and private sector critical industries in an effort to defend against threats to critical infrastructures.

[snip]

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 20, 1999.

If you can't solve a problem, form another group...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), June 20, 1999.

Also see this Washington Post article:

http://www.albertaweb.com/year2000/docs/doc2797.html

"A New Center for Getting Coordinated"

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 22, 1999.