Ports help to secure DHS funds

Ports help to secure DHS funds Based in large part on the needs of local seaports and airports, Broward and Palm Beach counties have received $10 million in Department of Homeland Security antiterrorism funds.
   The funding is especially significant for Broward County, home of Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which had previously been lumped into the same region as Miami. U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale, had led a battle seeking to establish a separate urban area for Fort Lauderdale.
   'The threat of terrorism is very real in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and to neglect the necessary funding these two counties deserve is simply outrageous,' Shaw said in a statement. 'That is why we worked so hard to secure nearly $10 million for our urban area. Both Palm Beach and Broward counties have international airports, seaports, and petroleum reserves. We can't forget that South Florida was home to Al Qaeda operatives prior to 9-11.'
   The funding will not be directed specifically for the seaports or airports. It will go two the two counties, as well as the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, Hollywood, Miami Gardens, Miramar, and Pembroke Pines.
   The creation of a separate urban area was the culmination of a two-year effort, with local officials complaining too much of the South Florida money was used for Miami. Last year, Miami offered Broward County $2.6 million, or about 10 percent of the DHS regional grant for the area.
   The grants were part of a $740 million DHS allocation for 46 urban areas around the U.S.