Tempest in a Teapot?

The "flag word" (spy) used in the title of this article in the Washington Post is somewhat misleading but already setting the tone for alarmist comments (as established by the first comment to the article -- which is all that was there when checked).

As I understand it the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is opening a new office. That office will be called the National Applications Office (NAO). Here's where things get more interesting and where a casual reader (if not already mislead by the article's title) might be lead further astray. Let's see what the article says,

The administration in May 2007 gave DHS authority to coordinate requests for satellite imagery, radar, electronic-signal information, chemical detection and other monitoring capabilities that have been used for decades within U.S. borders for mapping and disaster response. But Congress delayed launch of the new office last October. Critics cited its potential to expand the role of military assets in domestic law enforcement, to turn new or as-yet-undeveloped technologies against Americans without adequate public debate, and to divert the existing civilian and scientific focus of some satellite work to security uses (emphasis added).

What this means is that DHS will not "own" the satellite system nor directly operate it. Instead, the NAO will request that the operator of the system provide the NAO (and the DHS) with imagery, RADINT, SIGINT, chemical detection information, etc. Typically not all requests (from various agencies) have equal priority. We're not told what priority the NAO will have although I would presume that in the event of a significant disaster, their priority would be higher than "routine".

Since the capabilities of the satellite system (not further identified) are finite, the various other government agencies with authority to task the system will drive the degree to which the DHS requests are effectively serviced (or not). That fact is not particularly emphasized (or even addressed in the article). A quick read leaves a careless reader with the likely impression that DHS/NAO is getting their own sat-system to use as they please on targets within the United States.

At first, according to the Post, DHS will use the NAO to request info associated with "...traditional scientific and homeland security activities -- such as tracking hurricane damage, monitoring climate change and creating terrain maps." In other words, Google Earth on steroids. In addition, DHS added,

Sophisticated overhead sensor data will be used for law enforcement once
privacy and civil rights concerns are resolved, he said. The department has previously said the program will not intercept communications (emphasis added).

I presently don't have the time to work up a studied analysis of any/all legal justifications for concern about this program, but at first glance I see very few potential problems (but of course, I don't know what the actual capabilities of these satellite systems actually are thus it is entirely possible that if I did know the "collection power" of these systems my attitude would change). I will try to follow this story to see how it evolves.

Stay tuned for (possible) updates....