Seven Florida ports land DHS grants

Seven Florida ports land DHS grants Seven Florida ports Thursday received infrastructure improvement grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security totaling more than $11 million, led by Jacksonville's $5.88 million.
   The grants were part of a total $202.27 million given to port entities nationwide by DHS.
   'These grants will help to protect our nation's critical infrastructure from threats and hazards that could cause major loss of life, economic impact, and disruption of services,' said Michael Jackson, DHS deputy secretary, in announcing the grants, part of $445 million allocated nationwide. The grants, based on risk assessments, were provided to improve security for ports, mass transit systems, long-distance bus carriers, chemical facilities, and nuclear power plants.
   In addition to the Jacksonville grant, the DHS approved grants of:
   * Port Canaveral, $2.89 million.
   * Port of Palm Beach, $1.5 million.
   * Port of Tampa, $475,783.
   * Port Manatee, $355,821.
   * Port Everglades, $270,000.
   * Port of Miami, $54,350.
   In addition, the DHS provided $4.78 million for the Port of San Juan, and $384,944 for the Port of Ponce, in Puerto Rico. There was also a $1.68 million grant for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
   Additional information about how the funds are divvied up are available at: https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/grants_ippawardsfy07.pdf.
   The American Association of Port Authorities said it welcomed the grants, under a program that began in 2002 after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
   The AAPA noted that unlike the last two rounds, all port areas were eligible to apply, a priority of AAPA’s that was included in last year’s SAFE Port Act. It said preallocation of funds for Tier I ports resulted in a limit on the amount of funds and projects applied for.
   The AAPA noted that like last year, all entities receiving fiscal year 2007 Port Security Grant awards will pay a cost-share amount to participate. Public entities, such as seaport authorities and state and local governments, must pay 25 percent, while private entities, such as sightseeing cruise and petroleum terminals, will have to pay 50 percent.
   It said the grants would assist marine facilities in paying for things like landside surveillance, access controls, communication systems, and systems to prevent and detect improvised explosive device attacks.
   It also said it would “provide much needed funds to pay for training as well as technology and equipment to test and install Transportation
Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card readers for facilities.”
   More funds are needed, said Kurt Nagle, AAPA president and chief executive officer, particularly with facilities facing the extraordinary costs of implementing the TWIC program.
   “Both the administration and Congress acknowledged this fact in approving the SAFE Port Act legislation last year, which authorizes $400 million a year for port facility grants,” Nagle said. “It’s important that the fiscal year 2008 spending bill provide the full $400 million for the Port Security Grant program to help ports pay to install TWIC card readers and other terrorism prevention programs at their facilities.”