Napolitano announces security grants

Napolitano announces security grants       Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano Thursday announced the fiscal year 2010 Preparedness Grants for nine federal programs, including the port security grant program.
      DHS is awarding $288 million under the Port Security Grant Program. The funds are to protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness and risk management capabilities to protect against improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons, conduct training and exercises, and support implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential or TWIC card program.

Napolitano

      The government also supplied $150 million in port security grants under the Recovery Act. The list of grants is available here
      Port grant recipients include:
      ' Harbor department of Los Angeles, $7.8 million.
      ' Port of Oakland $7.7 million.
      ' Harbor department of Long Beach, $6 million.
      ' Port of Texas Security Council, $4.4 million.
      ' Port of Tacoma $3.4 million.
      ' City of Richmond, Calif. $4.3 million.
      ' New Jersey Department of Transportation for ports along the Delaware River and Bay, $4.1 million.
      Members of New York City’s Congressional delegation complained about the level of funding for port and transit security for their region, although the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is receiving $48.3 million and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority $11.8 million for transit security.
      Other programs to be funded nationally as include:
      ' Transit Security Grant Program, $253.4 million to protect critical transit infrastructure from terrorism, in addition to $150 million in transit security grants provided by the Recovery Act.
      ' $14.5 million for the Freight Rail Security Grant Program, to protect critical freight rail systems infrastructure from acts of terrorism resulting from railroad cars transporting toxic inhalation hazardous materials.
      ' $48 million to increase preparedness capabilities of jurisdictions responsible for safeguarding critical infrastructure sites and key resource assets, such as chemical facilities and nuclear power plants.
      ' $57.6 million to support the construction or renovation of Emergency Operations Centers to improve emergency management and preparedness capabilities to ensure continuity of operations during disasters.
      ' $48 million to assist governments in carrying out initiatives identified in Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans and improve interoperable emergency communications used to respond to natural disasters and acts of terrorism.
      ' $48 million to help states and territories improve security of state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards in order to reduce fraud, enhance the reliability and accuracy of personal identification documents and prevent terrorism.