DOT RELEASES $92.3 MILLION FOR PORT SECURITY

DOT RELEASES $92.3 MILLION FOR PORT SECURITY    U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said Monday that the government will provide $92.3 million in grants to 51 U.S. ports to improve maritime security.
   “Protecting seaports and port facilities against the threat of terrorism is imperative,” Mineta said. “The terrorist attacks have resulted in a renewed focus on the security of our transportation systems, and we at DOT are aggressively meeting these challenges on several fronts.”
   Port security grants will account for $78 million of the total. In addition, $5 million will fund security assessments to evaluate the vulnerability of ports and terminals. Finally, $9.3 million will go for “proof of concept” projects, to explore the use of new technology, such as electronic seals for containers,” Mineta said.
   Joining Mineta in a ceremony at Battery Park in lower Manhattan were Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla.; Adm. Thomas H. Collins, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; William G. Schubert, U.S. Maritime Administrator; Rear Adm. Richard E. Bennis, now associate undersecretary for maritime and land security at the Transportation Security Administration, and local port officials.
   Congress provided funding for the port security grant program to the Transportation Security Administration, currently part of the Department of Transportation, which has overall responsibility for security in all modes of transportation.