U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, today applauded Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano’s release of more than $150 million in FEMA grants guidance kits. Earlier today, Napolitano released grant guidance kits for the entire nation for 13 DHS grant programs totaling more than $2.7 billion—funds for state, local, tribal and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

“For years, my colleagues in Congress and I fought hard to make sure Homeland Security grant dollars were awarded on the basis of a state’s risk of being attacked by terrorists,” said Pascrell, who co-authored the bipartisan “21st Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006,” which for the first time elevated the Department of Homeland Security’s interoperability focus by establishing a new Office of Emergency Communications. “Secretary Napolitano’s announcement today is proof-positive that DHS is taking that criteria very seriously. I am personally edified and extremely grateful that a new era is underway at the Department of Homeland Security.”

Grants awards to New Jersey in fiscal year 2009 totaled about $75 million.

The grants awards for the 2010 fiscal year are as follows:

Buffer Zone Protection Program                                       

$1.2 million to increase preparedness capabilities for safeguarding critical infrastructure sites and key resource assets, such as chemical facilities and nuclear power plants, through planning and equipment acquisition.

Drivers License Security Grant Program                          

$1,046,400 to help New Jersey improve security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in order to prevent terrorism, reduce fraud and enhance the reliability and accuracy of personal identification documents.

Emergency Management Performance Grant Program  

$8,041,432 to assist state and local governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.

Emergency Operations Center Grant Program                

$5,347,000 to support the construction or renovation of Emergency Operations Centers to improve state, local or tribal emergency management and preparedness capabilities to ensure continuity of operations during disasters.

This grant will be divided as follows:

            City of Brigantine                                           $300,000

            City of Hackensack                                        $300,000

            County of Union                                             $1,000,000

            Morris County, OEM                                      $1,000,000

            North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue       $500,000

            Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office               $250,000

            Township of Irvington                                    $750,000

            Township of Old Bridge                                 $500,000

            Township of South Orange Village                $247,000          

Homeland Security Grant Program

These grant dollars are targeted for states or urban areas to build capabilities critical to security. HSGP includes the following programs:

Citizen Corps Program