Declarations

No Human Zone

“This proposal is not for the timid as initially it will be highly controversial because of natural skepticism about the likelihood and timing of autonomous vehicles and failure to recognize the benefits.”

—A proposal from some tech industry veterans in Seattle that seeks to ban human drivers from a 150-mile stretch of Interstate 5 and reserve it for self-driving cars, trucks and buses.

Bye-Bye Blue Tarps

“We wanted to really zero in on the homes that need a roof and where a roof will fix the long-term problems with the house. … With a new roof, the home can continue to be a place where it’s habitable, healthy, safe and affordable for the people to live.”

—Tom McCasland, interim director of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, talking about a new program to repair hundreds of roofs covered in blue tarps throughout the city. Many were battered by Hurricane Ike in 2008, which caused $29 billion in damage.

Business Interruption Gap

“I think the insurance industry needs to really address this gap that exists between physical business interruption and technology-based business interruption. One thing that’s currently happening more every day is that insurance carriers are offering value-add services equivalent to requiring buildings to have sprinklers. They’re doing similar things for cyber risk, such as requiring businesses to improve employee awareness training.”

—Dena Cusick, national practice leader with Wells Fargo Insurance’s Technology, Privacy and Network Risk National Practice, urging a closer look at cyber risk after the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) proposed cybersecurity regulation for financial services companies. The proposed regulation aims to protect New York state’s financial services industry from an increasing risk of cyberattacks and is the first of its kind in the U.S.

Nitrate Pollution

“They don’t have to pollute in order to drain the land. … That’s the point Des Moines Water Works claims in this case.”

—Des Moines Water Works attorney John Lande comments on a federal lawsuit that pits the water supplier to 500,000 central Iowa residents against upstream farmers accused of contaminating rivers with nitrates from crop fertilizer. The lawsuit seeks a court decision on whether agriculture drainage districts have immunity from lawsuits and whether the water utility can seek monetary damages.

Topics Cyber