"The PCCIP was established July 15, 1996, and charged with developing a national policy and the implementation strategies for protecting our critical infrastructures from both physical and cyber threats. The goal, of course, was to assure the infrastructures' continued operation. The President identified eight infrastructures (Figure 1) -or our nation's life support systems, as I view them-for study. The incapacity or destruction of these systems would have a debilitating effect on the defense and/or economic security of the United States. (1) Telecommunications (2) Banking & Finance (3) Electric Power (4) Water (5) Transportation (6) Emergency Services (7) Oil & Gas Delivery & Storage (8) Government Services.... The Commission was uniquely tailored for its task. Recognizing that the infrastructures are largely owned and operated by the private sector, the Commission was established as a joint, public-and-private undertaking. Therefore, half the commissioners came from the private sector and the other half were detailed from the affected agencies of government. A Steering Committee made up of senior government officials oversaw the work of the commissioners and guided us through myriad government concerns. A Presidentially appointed Advisory Committee made up of key industry leaders provided the unique perspective of infrastructure owners and operators. Finally, there was an Infrastructure Protection Task Force, established at the same time as the Commission, and intended to support infrastructure protection and coordinate the activities of government should a problem develop prior to the completion of the Commission's efforts and implementation of its recommendations". (Marsh, Critical Foundations, 12Nov97)