U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security today announced that New Jersey will receive a $3 million increase in federal funding to assist the State and local governments purchase new equipment and improve homeland security coordination, planning and training.

The increased funding comes under the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), which for the first time is being allocated based on risk instead of politics; a change that Congress mandated in H.R. 1 “The Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007.”  The goal of SHSP according to the Department of the Homeland Security is to provide funds that will build capabilities at the state and local levels through planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise activities.  New Jersey will gain a 3 percent increase in SHSP funding from $24,160,000 to $27,780,000.  

“Congress changed the old funding formula for state homeland security grants so that states with greater vulnerabilities, like New Jersey, would get a bigger piece of the pie,” stated Pascrell.  “This is only one example of how New Jersey stands to benefit by the actions Congress took last year to approve a comprehensive homeland security package based on the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations list.”

Pascrell continued, “In addition to improving the way we invest our federal homeland security dollars, this grant program takes a bottom up approach to homeland security planning.  I’ve said for years that real homeland security begins on our streets.  Equipping our state and local experts with federal resources will empower police, firefighters and emergency medical professionals to play a greater role in emergency response planning and preparedness initiatives all over the state.”

Funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) was also made public today.  Though the Newark-Edison region remains one of only seven Tier 1 regions eligible to split $430 million, or 55 percent of the total $782 million UASI allocation, Pascrell expressed disappointment in a funding formula that fails to take New Jersey’s complex infrastructure fully into account.  (52 Tier 2 regions split 45 percent of the total funding which amounts to $351.7 million.)

“After all the work Congress has done to change homeland security funding to a formula based on risk instead of politics, I am disappointed that New Jersey is being negatively effected by a formula that inadequately emphasizes infrastructure vulnerability,” stated Pascrell.  “The Newark-Edison region may not be as densely populated as other major cities, but the last time I checked we are still home to the most dangerous two-mile stretch in America.  Clearly, the Department of Homeland Security needs to reassess how heavily it considers infrastructure protection before the next round of UASI funding is allocated.”

The current formula used by DHS to determine UASI funding is based on risk, but places considerably less weight on infrastructure protection than it does on population density.  In the DHS Vulnerability and Consequence Index, Population Index accounted for 40 percent of the formula while National Infrastructure Index only accounted for 15 percent.  Due to the large geographic size of the Newark-Edison UASI region, its population density is less than other Tier 1 UASI regions like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. for example.

The New York-Long Island UASI region, which is also important to New Jersey’s homeland security apparatus saw an 18 percent increase in funding from $134 to $144 million dollars.

“New Jersey and New York are inextricably linked,” stated Pascrell.  “Despite my disappointment with funding for the Newark-Edison region, I know that New Jersey’s residents, commuters and economy stand to benefit by the increased funding for New York City and its surrounding area.”

The UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which is designed to strengthen the security of nonprofit organizations located within UASI regions that are deemed at high risk of a potential terrorist attack, provided $834,618 for New Jersey organizations.  In the 8th Congressional District, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, JCC MetroWest and the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union counties will each receive $75,000.

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