“The SPP is a US Presidential initiative with DOD equities. The SPP agreement, designed to reduce barriers on trade and facilitate economic growth while improving the security of the continent, was signed on 23 March 2005 by the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Canada, and the President of Mexico. DHS and the Homeland Security Council are the lead agencies for the agreement’s security components, with DOD as a supporting agency. The SPP Action Plan addresses goals and objectives associated with homeland security to include “Protection, Prevention, and Response”. One of the goals of the agreement is to “develop and implement a common approach to critical infrastructure protection, response to cross-border terrorist incidents, and as applicable, natural disasters”. This includes a dual-binational (US/Canada and US/Mexico) objective on emergency management cooperation to develop and implement joint plans for cooperation in incident response, as well as conduct joint training and exercises in emergency response. This includes the development of a plan to build and strengthen mechanisms, protocols, and agreements for communicating and coordinating emergency response for mutual assistance and cooperation in the event of natural and technological/industrial disasters or malicious acts involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosives devices and hazards”. (JCS/DOD, CBRNE CM, 2006, IV-16)