Gov. Larry Rhoden highlighted the work of the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force (GRIT) during a briefing at the South Dakota Digital Government Summit, an annual gathering of technology and cybersecurity leaders yesterday.
Rhoden said the task force is positioning South Dakota as a national leader in protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening resilience. Established by the governor, GRIT serves as a strategic advisory group that assesses risks, develops policy recommendations and guides long-term planning for the state’s essential systems.
South Dakota’s efforts are drawing national attention, with state officials recently invited to present GRIT’s work at conferences hosted by the National Lieutenant Governors Association, the National Governors Association and the Black Hills Defense Symposium. The task force includes specialized workgroups focused on electricity, water and wastewater, telecommunications and transportation, made up of public- and private-sector experts.
Lawmakers acted on several GRIT recommendations during the past legislative session, including funding for IT modernization, upgrades to the state’s public safety radio system and a nuclear energy study. GRIT has also partnered with Idaho National Laboratory to further develop South Dakota’s critical infrastructure crisis response plan.
Comments