**GAO-08-12**                      Published: Feb 14, 2008. Publicly Released: Mar 06, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

To help secure the nation's ports against a terrorist attack, federal regulations have required cargo and other maritime facilities to have security plans in place since July 2004. U.S Coast Guard (USCG) guidance calls for an annual inspection to ensure that plans are being followed. Federal law enacted in October 2006 required such facilities to be inspected two times a year--one of which is to be conducted unannounced. The USCG plans to conduct one announced inspection and the other as a less comprehensive unannounced "spot check." GAO examined the extent to which the USCG (1) has met inspection requirements and found facilities to be complying with their plans, (2) has determined the availability of trained personnel to meet current and future facility inspection requirements, and (3) has assessed the effectiveness of its facility inspection program and ensured that program compliance data collected and reported are reliable. GAO analyzed USCG compliance data, interviewed inspectors and other stakeholders in 7 of 35 USCG sectors of varying size, geographic location, and type of waterway.

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## Topics

Homeland Security

Access controlCoast Guard personnelData integrityDocumentationEmergency response plansFacility securityFederal facilitiesHomeland securityInspectionInternal controlsInvestigations by federal agenciesMaritime securityPersonnel managementPort securityProgram evaluation