TSA PORT GRANTS TOTAL $13.5 MILLION FOR TWO STATES

TSA PORT GRANTS TOTAL $13.5 MILLION FOR TWO STATES    The Transportation Security Administration has awarded security-related grants of $8.5 million for nine ports and associated parties in Texas, and $5 million for four ports in Louisiana.
   The money will be used for risk assessments, command facilities, and other projects, the TSA said in a statement.
   The Port of Houston received $1.5 million for a new command facility modeled after the Johnson Space Center, plus $300,000 for risk assessment.
   Other recipients in Texas, ranked by the amounts received, were the Port of Corpus Christi, $2.3 million; the Port of Texas City, $1.7 million; the Port of Galveston, $1.6 million; the Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County, $560,000; BASF Corp., New Orleans, Freeport, $220,000; LCB Houston LP, Houston, $142,000; Brazos River Harbor Navigation District, Freeport, $85,000, and Dynegy Midstream Services, Inc., Houston, $60,000.
   In Louisiana, the TSA awarded $3.7 million to the Port of New Orleans for augmented fencing and improved electronic access control. Other awards were: Port of South Louisiana, $624,000; Port of Lake Charles, $200,000 for risk assessments; CITGO Petroleum Corp., also at the Port of Lake Charles, $201,757 for a security boat, boat ramps, and a boat house; BASF Corp., Baton Rouge, $178,000 for lighting and fencing; and LBC Baton Rouge, $80,000 for monitoring equipment.