Morning Security Brief: New Terror Alert System, TNT-Sniffing Plants, U.S.-U.K. Security Talks, Super Bowl Security, & More

♦ DHS chief Janet Napolitano yesterday unveiled the contours of a new terrorism alert system. "The alerts will be specific to the threat posed," she said at George Washington University's Homeland Security Policy Institute. "They may recommend certain actions, or suggest looking for specific suspicious behavior. And they will have a specified end date." The new terror-alert system will be implemented over the next three months, reports Reuters.

♦ You may never look at a plant in an airport the same way. "Researchers at Colorado State University have manipulated the plants so that they turn white when it detects even trace amounts of TNT in the air," according to FOXNews.com. "The technology, published in the peer-reviewed online science journal PloS One and financed by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, could find its way into airports in just a few years."

♦ The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom will sit down for private, wide-ranging security talks. "Plans to strengthen cyber, cargo and aviation security against terrorism and natural disasters will be discussed in the private talks between Home Secretary Theresa May, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond and the US Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano, US officials confirmed," according to the U.K.'s Press Association.

♦ With the Super Bowl just a little more than a week away, the security coverage has begun. "Local authorities won't discuss details about much of what goes into protecting the region and Cowboys Stadium for the game itself," reports DallasNews.com. "They also won't talk about specific threats or estimated security costs, though McCarthy said the NFL anticipates spending between $5 and $6 million on security. That figure includes the hiring of outside security firms, and it is higher than what the league has spent on past Super Bowls. McCarthy said the higher cost is not because of any specific threat, but is due to the 'size and complexity of venues' in North Texas."

♦ Vermont legislators are calling for the Department of Homeland Security to keep open a small border crossing station for economic and public safety reasons. "Firefighters from both sides of the border provide mutual aid, crossing at Morses Line, to help in emergencies in Vermont and Quebec," reports the Bennington Banner. "Farmers cross the border to take equipment for service to Bedford, Quebec, and the Franklin General Store estimates at least 10 percent of its business comes from bicyclists who follow a loop that starts in Quebec, crosses the border, and passes near the store."