AAPA calls for swift funding for security rules
The American Association of Port Authorities, while “commending” the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard “on the release of regulations to secure America’s ports from terrorist acts,” said that the “next step” must be “funding to meet the law’s intent.”
AAPA, based in Alexandria, Va., quoted the Coast Guard as saying that implementing the new security rules will cost $1.25 billion in the first year and $5.45 billion over ten years.
“It’s vital that the federal government continue and augment its financial help to ports, as it has done with airports,” said Kurt Nagle, president of the AAPA.
For fiscal year 2005, Nagle called for a federal funding level of $400 million for the Transportation Security Administration’s port security grant program.