The color-coded terror alert system created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will be replaced by the end of April by "a new system that is built on a clear and simple premise," reports said Wednesday.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is expected to announce the plan to reform the terror alert system during a speech in Washington on Thursday, National Journal quoted a document summarizing the changes as saying.
The current terror alert system, formally known as the Homeland Security Advisory System, was created in March 2002 by then President George W. Bush, but was widely criticized as being confusing and too vague.
"In its place, DHS will implement a new system that is built on a clear and simple premise: When a threat develops that could impact the public, we will tell you. We will provide whatever information we can so you know how to protect yourselves, your families, and your communities," the document said.
"When we have information about a specific, credible threat, we will issue a formal alert providing as much information as we can," it said. "Depending on the nature of the threat, the alert may be limited to a particular audience, like law enforcement, or a segment of the private sector, like shopping malls or hotels."
The alert may be issued more broadly to the American people, and distributed -- through a statement from the Department of Homeland Security -- by the news media and social media channels, according to the document.
The department will on Thursday begin a 90-day implementation period in which state and local government, law enforcement, private and non-profit sector partners, airports, and transport hubs will transition to the new system.
Under the current five-color-coded system, green, at the bottom, signals a low danger of attack; blue signals a general risk; yellow, a significant risk; orange, a high risk, and red, at the top, warns of a severe threat.
The U.S. government has been keeping the national terror alert level at yellow since 2006.